


Hints of Familiarity

by alcrevier



Category: Pretty Little Liars
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/F, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-31
Updated: 2018-01-12
Packaged: 2019-01-27 13:29:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 148,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12582952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alcrevier/pseuds/alcrevier
Summary: [AU] Fresh off an ill-timed pregnancy confirmation, a self-assured Alison finds herself drawn to Emily, a friendly stranger, after a random trip to the neighborhood pharmacy. Once their paths cross repeatedly, she decides it’s no coincidence and intends on figuring out why she feels so connected to Emily ━ however, it maybe be way deeper than either of them could’ve imagined.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome, welcome, one and all!
> 
> Oh, and Happy Halloween, no matter if you celebrate it, or not.
> 
> Long time, no see ━ kinda. Either way, how’ve you been? I’ve been alright, thanks for asking (or not). For weeks, I’ve been working on getting this story to you by writing, revising, and revising again, so I’m relieved for you to be finally reading this because that means I successfully survived the daunting, exhausting task (or most of it) ━ but also a gosh-darn fun one.
> 
> Seriously, you guys; this story has personally entertained me, mostly because I put the angst on the shelf for twenty-one chapters (my usual story-length), no matter how alluring a big patch of drama always seems to me, and the fluff/teasing/positivity has brought out some fantastic dialogue and little scenarios. I think it’s also very personal, in a way, due to both Alison and Emily’s individual background stories, so I’m excited to get feedback on those. Of course, we’ll still see some drama (only a little, though) because there’s no story without a little conflict, but everything will primarily focus on comfort and Emison’s evolving relationship. 
> 
> A reminder (if you didn’t thoroughly read the summary): This story revolves around pregnancy. I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it even though I’m sure most of you already know: I’m not a fan of pregnancy or anything having to do with it. In fact, it quite often makes me turn away in a grimace for whatever reason ━ I’ve always been like this, honestly. Anyway, despite that, I’ve found that this storyline has let me relax and more so admire Emison in a domestic way rather than completely focus on Alison’s pregnancy. 
> 
> Also, again, this is an AU story, meaning it won’t be following on-screen events, and it’s also rated E, so, to those of you who read in public places: bless ya.
> 
> Forewarning for you people who haven’t read my other fics (yet): I tend to write super-lengthy author’s notes, therefore you’re going to have to bear with me.
> 
> Now that we’ve gotten all of that outta the way…
> 
> Without further ado, happy reading!

Her teeth clasp onto her inner cheek as she makes a face at the plastic, mismatch-colored bottle held between three fingers. It looks the same as the last one she picked up with a label discussing the lone, chemical addition to whatever-the-hell it’s originally supposed to be. She doesn’t even know what she’s looking for, in all honesty, or what she should be drawn to. It’s a wall of vitamins, for fuck’s sake. How is  _ she  _ supposed to know what to purchase when she’s never, in her life, gone to the store to buy a specific vitamin? A pregnancy supplement, nonetheless. Oh, that’s right; she’s not supposed to know.

This would be a lot easier if her doctor wasn’t such a dull, droney bald man with his stethoscope shoved so far up his━

“Do you need some help, ma’am?” one of the pharmacy’s workers approach her with raised eyebrows and a polite smile, Alison immediately turning to him and flashing a tight-lipped grin to cover up every bit of irritation she’s currently dealing with.

“No, thanks. I’m good,” her response is automatic, sliding the most recently grabbed bottle of vitamins back onto the shelf, afterwards adjusting the red, CVS basket draped over her arm for the thirtieth time.

He gives her a nod and walks away, leaving her alone once she’s shuffling out of the aisle with a heavy weight pulling on her shoulder because she decided that buying three, large bottles of Gatorade would be a great idea while not having a cart to push around the small, neighborhood pharmacy ━ located a mere minute or two away from her Allentown, Pennsylvania apartment. Her eyes scan the shelves as she walks, noting the various items strewn along each aisle as they’re arranged by brand, color-coordination, and target audience. It’s not too long before she’s passing the cluttered section adorned with baby items such as diapers, formula, and wipes, making her jaw shift even though the sight is also a bit intriguing. It’s supposed to be, at this point, right?

Even if the realization of being pregnant hadn’t already sunken in, it’s not like she’s that far along; two weeks isn’t that deep into the whole ordeal, and, if she really wanted to, she could “erase” that timeline to forget it ever happened. The thought makes her sick, though, and not due to any political or religious battle raging inside her mind; aborting this baby has never been a real option in Alison’s case, mostly because it took her a large chunk of money and weeks of precious time to get here. Sure, now she’s alone and on her way to motherhood without her ex-fiancé by her side ━ thank God, she muses ━ but it’s eye-opening, to say the least.

When she had first received the news (courtesy of a cheap, plastic stick she bought two towns away), her gut twisted with a variety of emotions ━ all of which opposed one another, in pairs. First, she was shocked, then she understood; after being told,  _ “There’s a very slim chance that you’ll be able to conceive naturally,”  _ repeatedly, the idea of being pregnant became a far-off dream, but then she remembered the period of time when she and Elliott had visited the small and nearby, just-starting-out clinic on multiple occasions, setting up appointment after appointment with different physicians and specialists until they found themselves undergoing a lengthy process of I.V.F. ━ something she originally quirked her eyebrow at when she was given the abbreviation.

Nevertheless, they found it was their best option in regards to their vehement desire to start a family, which, looking back, wouldn’t have ended well in any way, shape, or form; quite frankly, her heavy infertility and Elliott’s shit quality when it came to sperm should’ve been sign number one of their failed relationship. Alison makes a face as she walks, just barely missing the edge of a shelf so she doesn’t knock anything over.

She recalls the processes vividly, flashing back to how nervous she felt, but excited to raise a child. Part of her current self wonders if she was more so attracted to the idea of starting a family with Elliott, or becoming a mother, in general (with or without him), and the question stems from her even-tempered attitude in testament to how their relationship finished despite the pregnancy that ended up actually happening. During the fertilization undertaking, once they were mutually matched with their ideal egg donor and already “chose” the male counterpart, their relationship had been on the backburner ━ at least in Alison’s mind ━ with Elliott’s “career” and the blonde’s frustration at the forefront. He’d be off at work ━ or so he said ━ while Alison worked on some school board business until she got caught up in her thoughts and sucked into a form of distress.

_ “What if this doesn’t work?” Alison crosses her arms, pacing. “I know there’s adoption, and I don’t want to sound selfish, but… I want to have that bond with someone. That stupid, motherly bond that I always tried to stay away from when I was a kid,” she makes a face at her own words, throwing herself into a chair. _

_ “And you will,” CeCe comforts, sitting next to the girl. “You’ve just gotta wait it out, babe. How many weeks do you have left until you go back to the clinic?” _

_ “One.” _

_ “Okay, then. Relax a little.” _

The following appointment didn’t answer her question, Alison not knowing that she’d have to wait another week or two before finding out if the procedure was successful. That time, she had gone to the clinic alone, Elliott away on a business trip while she reviewed the anonymous egg donor’s file in the confines of the waiting room ━ with a sparkle in her eye, nonetheless. 

Yeah, okay, “business trip,” she thinks and scowls deeply while walking through the store, grabbing another Gatorade because, well, why not? She should’ve known that a community college wouldn’t send a below-average professor on so many “business trips.”

The downfall of her short-as-fuck engagement, weird-as-hell relationship rested in the fifth week of the fertilization process. Alison and Elliott hadn’t been doing well, and her friends knew it, though they didn’t mention much when they probably should’ve because, one day, Aria and CeCe were wandering around downtown with shopping bags in hand, clearly catching sight of their third friend’s fiancé sitting across from a much younger girl with bubbly smiles plastered along both of their faces.

_ “He’s been cheating on me!” Alison’s voice cracks, crying through anger and disbelief as her friends stand in front of her. “For weeks, months… I don’t know! Not with just one person, either.” _

_ “How’d you find out?” hesitance covers Aria’s question, her posture practically identical to CeCe’s as their heads are eased forward with wide eyes and crossed arms.  _

_ “One of his ‘girlfriends’ tracked his phone and showed up at our apartment, then smudged lipstick all over our door after I told her to leave.”  _

Really, she wanted to roll her eyes at the prank, musing to herself how immature the action was ━ but, when she heard the girl’s age, it all made sense. She remembers how easily her mouth dropped open when hearing that he had been having affairs with younger girls, mostly along the ages of seventeen and eighteen while he’s existing at a solid twenty-five or so. It wasn’t long before more people caught wind of it, creating a huge buzz around the college he worked at until, one day, Alison heard he was arrested. She wasn’t sure if it was for something borderlining existing as a “suave” predator or something beyond that, but she didn’t exactly give a damn ━ a result of the plastic, pregnancy stick displaying that positive (and untimely) piece of information only a week later.

Alison supposes she should be grateful that things worked out this way, however, because now her child won’t be burdened with Elliott’s poor choices and pessimistic views coming in the forms of violent, political standpoints and idiotic stock market numbers ━ or, if you want to get real technical, his taste in girls.

With the majority of necessities on her short list being crossed off, Alison makes her way to the back of the two-person line at the pharmacy’s south-end counter so she can pick up her prescription and pay for everything in one swing. She thanks every higher being that she’ll be home soon, ready to relax for the remainder of the day because her energy is depleting and her mood has been past sporadic today. To distract her mind for the little time she has left in the store, Alison looks around the area and turns her head to scan the contents of the waiting space, listening to someone come up behind her. Instantly, she’s hit with a sweet scent of perfume or perhaps body lotion, enjoying the aroma without seeming like a creep because, God, she has no idea if her body’s been on high alert because of her pregnancy, or what, but━

“Hey there,” the pharmacist smiles politely, Alison mirroring the expression with a matched greeting as she unloads the basket of items onto the counter. 

“I’m also picking up a prescription,” she places the last, blue Gatorade onto the shiny surface.

“Name?”

“Alison DiLaurentis.”

The girl behind the computer hits a few buttons while humming, Alison scanning the tag on her shirt and reading,  _ “Spencer.”  _

“Do you have your I.D.?” the question is granted the blonde reaching into her pocket and pulling the card out for Spencer to scan, only having taken the proper amount of money and her license when she exited the car in knowledge that this would be a short trip ━ well, what was  _ supposed  _ to be a short trip.

Once the plastic card is slid back into its previous spot, her eyes raise to the sign above the counter as Spencer shuffles over to the nearby wall of pill baskets and other antibiotics, noting that the girl was deemed with “employee of the month.” She smiles shortly, the mild amusement fading once her prescription is placed in front of her, and she’s pulling two twenty-dollar bills out of her pocket to tap them against the counter’s surface. 

“Any questions, concerns?”

Alison notes how robotic she sounds while asking, automatically shaking her head even though, truly, she has no idea what this prescription is for because, once again, her doctor is an idiot who probably knows  _ nothing  _ about━ 

“That’ll be… forty-nine, eleven.”

“Wait, what?” Alison squints with tensed shoulders, remembering that medication’s price has stayed consistent since she started taking it weeks ago. “Are you sure?”

“Um, yeah,” it’s clear that she’s trying to sound like she checked again without really doing so, not wishing to make the customer look stupid but also not knowing how to answer when she correctly read what the computer says.

“It’s been thirty-five each time I’ve got it, though,” she doesn’t want to sound like a brat, but the thought of having to drag herself all the way back to the car and return in a state of embarrassment with the correct amount of money doesn’t sound like the best time, so she attempts to cover her bases before anything.

“Sometimes distributors raise the pricing without notice, depending on brands, quantities, and insurance, so it’s never really set in stone,” Spencer makes a face while looking off to the side, afterwards bringing her attention back to Alison and informing, “We can contact your provider to see if they can do anything, but it’ll take a day or so.”

Alison hears the person behind her shift a little during the small period of silence as she thinks to herself, ultimately shaking her head and sighing, “No, it’s… it’s fine.” 

She swallows hard and pauses, “I just have to run out to my car real quick.”

Her feet shuffle backward an inch, but she sees Spencer’s line of focus peer past her with curiosity throughout her facial expression, Alison turning around to be faced by a new brunette, her hair darker than the cashier’s with soft eyes and a smile being so captivating that the blonde has to forcefully furrow her eyebrows in question to look less struck. 

“Hey, um,” the stranger hesitates, putting on a newer, somewhat shy smile and showing Alison the money she’s missing. “Here.”

The gesture catches her off-guard, and her mouth opens when she looks down at the money in the girl’s hand, probably seeming like a total idiot who doesn’t understand common conversation because, soon, her eyes are locking with a tender, brown color again with her lips still parted. She blinks heavily and frowns with a breath coming out, quickly putting on a makeshift smile that hides her obvious struggle.

“Oh, thank you, but that’s…” Alison looks at her again, and her adamancy to decline the offer fades, partly getting lost as her voice turns quiet, “really not necessary.”

When it sounds a shade rude, the blonde scolds herself and adds a quick “Thank you, though” with another grin that she hopes matches her gratitude.

Much to her confusion, the stranger isn’t deterred by the words and tilts her head just barely with an appearance that all but lectures, “don’t be stubborn,” Alison’s mouth opening again once she’s walked past, and the offered money is handed to Spencer. She wants to protest another time and question the girl’s motives, but she’s realistically only stuck in place while Spencer looks at her with raised, curious eyebrows that beg the question, “are you okay with this?”

With a spur-the-moment glance at the sweet-smelling brunette nearby, Alison clenches her jaw and approaches the register again, all the while thinking about the girl who’s standing behind her with what’s probably a smug smile on her face. Spencer seems to grin at nothing in particular ━ or maybe there’s a reason that Alison’s entirely missing ━ and the transaction is completed in no time. Alison can barely muster a quiet “Thank you” before turning around, not giving the kind stranger another look-over until her back is facing the blonde.

Alison waits at the beginning of one of the aisles, two plastic bags draped over her arm, and turns back to see Spencer making smalltalk with the other brunette. She wonders if the girl comes here often, noting how they make light chitchat with hushed tones and what looks like a smirk crossing Spencer’s face. The next curiosity to peak is in regards to if they’re talking about her while she’s standing right there, and that’s the thought which ultimately causes Alison to take a breath and walk through the aisles so she can exit the store.

She feels a headache coming on, mainly because her mind’s been on a constant loop of unknowingness for days now, and, once she’s outside, the sun nearly blinds her. Deciding against facing the subtle pain right now, Alison leans against the brick wall just outside the door with her hands tucked behind her back. The coolness seeps through her clothing and she wants to sigh at the feeling, but the sound remains shut in her throat, and she only licks her lips.

“I’m sorry.”

The voice makes her eyes widen when she didn’t even relatively detect someone nearby. She turns to see the same brunette standing next to her, looking a bit sheepish when she can tell that she caught the other girl off-guard.

“For…?” Alison doesn’t want to seem rude, but she’s genuinely curious, narrowing her eyes.

“I didn’t mean to put you on the spot, in there.”

“No, it’s…” whatever she was trying to say dies when the thought isn’t solid enough. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it,” her smile from before makes another appearance, Alison feeling her cheeks wanting to match it as something in her stomach pulls weirdly in a butterfly-ish way, causing her to seal her lips in response; she has no idea what she’s feeling or why it’s happening, but the way brown eyes study her features is…  _ inviting _ .

“Maybe I’ll see you around sometime,” her voice is also something to remember, the blonde internally gushes with a corniness she could kick herself for.

“Um, yeah,” she wishes she could say something more, like ask the girl out on a random, daytime get-together or get her name and number, but her mouth only falls into a tight-lipped smile as she continues to lean against the brick behind her, nails scraping along the rough texture in a form of self-distraction.

Before the stranger walks away fully, however, Alison finds herself stupidly adding, “Thank you, again,” with an eagerness that’s the least bit un-awkward.

“I thought I told you not to mention it,” the accusation comes without missing a beat, Alison shaking her head and chuckling.

“I don’t take orders,” she replies with a smugness, watching the girl raise her eyebrows with a light grin curving her mouth.

“You shouldn’t,” and, with that, she walks away until she’s gone behind the building’s wall, leaving Alison standing in the same spot with furrowed eyebrows matched with a disbelieving smile. 

What the hell just happened?

 

X X X

 

A deep huff exits her mouth as she lugs herself and the two bags ━ mostly filled with Gatorade ━ up the stairs, wanting to whine when she forgets the apartment key in her back pocket. Without much groaning, Alison drops the bags onto the old, wood floor within the apartment complex’s hallway, finding the rusted, silver object and sliding it into the keyhole. She twists the knob and hears a few sliding sounds before pushing the door open with force once the hinge sticks a bit, dragging the bags into the mainspace of the apartment and all but slamming the barrier shut behind her with the use of her foot.

“Would you like some assistance?” another voice scares the crap out of her, Alison nearly jumping out of her skin as she holds her hand over her heart and breathes out a disheveled “Jesus, CeCe.”

“I’m sorry, I just couldn’t help myself,” she laughs, the other blonde giving her an exhausted glare before the bags are picked up and somewhat tossed onto the counter, one Gatorade rolling out and onto the floor while Alison gets out a sharp “Fucking thing━”

“Difficult day?”

“Oh, no, it’s just peachy.”

“A simple ‘yes’ would’ve━”

“Why are you here?” Alison places her palms on the kitchen’s center table, staring at her friend through tired eyes with a paired, incredulous laugh. “You know, I didn’t agree to you coming and going as you please when I let you find me this apartment.” 

She thinks back to when CeCe pleaded with her to allow a quick apartment-search since she didn’t want the newly single blonde to stick around in a sad, memory-inducing space, Alison relenting after a day or two and saying,  _ “But I’m paying for it,” _ to which her friend mocked,  _ “Alright, Miss Independent.”  _

“Since when do I wait for you to agree to something? I had this apartment picked out before you even told me to look for one,” she throws back, her friend’s head dropping between her arms with an exaggerated, annoyed sound filling the room.

“Where’s Aria when you need her?” her rhetorical question gets a taunting face from CeCe, the taller blonde walking over to where her friend stands, and lingering across from her with a table between them.

“I came to ask for the key to your old apartment,” CeCe finally explains with an airy sigh. “You still want me to pick up your stuff, right?”

“Yeah, could you?” her annoyance lightens, and she internally feels far past grateful for her friends, not wanting to step foot back into the old apartment she shared with Elliott while Aria and CeCe willingly offered to box up her essentials and transfer them to her new place.

“Of course,” she watches Alison walk over to a nearby drawer and pull the object out before it’s tossed onto the table and falling onto the floor with a clinking noise. “Seriously?”

“Sorry,” a tiny giggle follows, CeCe bending down and grunting.

“I’m too old for this.”

Once she straightens her back out, however, she looks at Alison and hesitates, the other blonde noticing that she wants to say something even though whatever-it-is won’t come out. CeCe crosses her arms and bows her head, clearing her throat before looking back at Alison and asking, “So, you haven’t heard anything about Elliott?” with an edge of caution to her voice.

“Not since he was arrested, no,” she shrugs. “I told you I’d let you know if I heard anything.”

“I know, but… sometimes you’re a _ little _ …” the other blonde makes a face, “reluctant.” 

“I really haven’t heard anything. I don’t  _ care  _ to hear anything, either. He can spend his life in jail, for all I care.”

“And you know I’m right there with you,” CeCe provides a sense of easiness, hoping Alison doesn’t think she’s trying to pry her open and provoke a shade of guilt.

In actuality, CeCe believes that she’s the one who reserves the right to feel guilty. After all, the mess with Elliott could’ve been avoided ━ or at least lessened ━ if she spoke up when she began to stumble upon signs of him being everything less than faithful ━ not to say Alison is completely shattered by what happened. Even when she and Alison first met ━ ironically enough, through Elliott ━ the girl’s relationship with him wasn’t the best, and he always took the lead for every-damn-thing. Alison let him, of course, but CeCe would always side-eye Elliott the most because he never gave his fiancée the time of day to be an actual person. Thinking back, there were plenty of times when CeCe saw Alison getting fed up, but, in the end, each instance of curiosity would be derailed when she heard that her friend was looking into starting a family with the man. She kept her mouth shut, obviously, and so did Aria ━ unless it was only the two of them.

_ “Has Ali been worrying you, too?” CeCe turns to Aria, walking side-by-side while almost pressed against the block of shopping boutiques. _

_ “She’s always worrying me,” the response is practically automatic, but Aria recovers soon after. “Well, I shouldn’t say that. I think she knows what she’s doing whenever she makes a decision, but sometimes I get concerned.” _

_ “When they’re about Elliott, right?”  _

_ Instead of answering directly, Aria explains, “This whole, family thing with them is just… odd. Not the fact that she wants a family, but because of how obsessive she seems with it. Maybe that’s not the right word, actually,” she thinks to herself for a moment, being stopped in her tracks when CeCe fixes it for her. _

_ “Like she’s using their engagement to her advantage just so she can have someone else to care for.” _

_ “Exactly,” Aria all but squeaks. “I’m all for her doing whatever makes her happy, and I know she’d be able to handle it, but… I wish she’d realize that she’s doing this for herself rather than because she wants a family with him, specifically.” _

_ “I know it isn’t our place to theorize, even though we usually do it, anyway,” her mindless ramble comes with wide-eyes, turning the corner on the sidewalk, “but do you think she really loves him?” _

_ “I think she loves the idea of him, and, who knows, maybe━” _

_ “Wait,” CeCe grabs onto Aria’s arm, stopping her from taking another step as she stares straight ahead and across the street. _

_ “What?” she frowns, following her line of sight until she’s studying Elliott sitting across from someone at a wrought-iron, round table outside of a little restaurant. “Who is that?” she tries to get a better view without looking like a stalker, only seeing strawberry-blonde hair tugged to the side of the girl’s face, a glowing smile across her mouth. _

_ “I have no idea,” her voice is shaky but curious, wanting to go over there and simply ask Elliott how he’s doing so he’ll get the hint and either quiver or remain the same ━ just to see if Alison knows where he is because he knows, without a doubt, that the blonde’s friends would be running back to her in order to say something. _

_ “Should we tell Ali?” CeCe detects the worry in Aria’s question, wondering the same, but, in the end, shaking her head. _

_ “I don’t think so,” she confesses. “I don’t want it to be nothing and her look at us like assholes for accusing him of things. Maybe it just looks suspicious because we’re not his biggest fans,” her tone turns into a mumble, Aria raising her eyebrows in agreement. _

“I’ve been thinking, though,” Alison breaks CeCe out of her memory, the girl appearing nervous and apprehensive for whatever reason.

“What is it?” the wonder is coaxing, Alison taking a breath and opening her mouth for a moment, then closing it, and soon expanding on her words.

“It’s a legal question,” she begins, knowing CeCe has become a lawyer-in-training, of sorts, with a periodic, bartending job on the side. “Do you think, if and when he gets out, he’ll come after me for custody of the baby?”

“Um,” the girl clears her throat and thinks to herself while nibbling on her lower lip, “that’d be tough, I think. It’s not his biological child, nor yours, and you were never officially married…”

Alison waits for the rest, knowing there’s more coming because she sees the look on CeCe’s face that’s a mix of bad news with unknowingness.

She sadly continues, “But I think he’s slimy enough to  _ try  _ something like that.”

The other girl looks down at the floor, feeling uneasy.

“You said you were always more into having a child than he was, though, so I doubt that’s high on his list of priorities,” CeCe tries to heal some oncoming wounds, Alison shifting her jaw and nodding.

“Look, Ali, even if he does, God forbid, try something like that… you know I’m not going to let him win,” her voice leaves no room for arguments, a blue gaze peering up at her with a shimmering at the bottom of her eyelids. “You have people who love you, and they’re willing to fight for you if it ever came to that. You  _ and  _ that kid,” she hints at the baby with a vague gesture, Alison wanting to laugh but only giving her a diluted grin.

“Thank you,” Alison exhales. “I don’t think I say that enough.”

“You’re welcome,” CeCe smiles big. “And, for the record, you don’t have to say it at all, but I’m always welcome to hearing it more often.”

The other blonde shakes her head and rolls her eyes, walking over to the counter and beginning to unpack the rest of her vast amount of Gatorades. CeCe quirks an eyebrow at the size of the lone sports-drink-brand bottles, deciding that it’s better to not ask. While Alison’s hands fumble with the drinks when the last gets stuck in the bag, she hisses at the small struggle and gives up, taking a breath and only staring at the countertop.

“Okay, seriously, are you okay?” she hears her friend worry from where she stands near the table, Alison wanting to collapse onto the floor in response, but, in reality, only running a hand through her hair.

“I’m just annoyed,” Alison’s palm slaps against the counter once, finishing her unpacking sequence while her rant forms. “Doctor Asshat tells me to pick up vitamins for expecting mothers, but doesn’t feel the need to share which- _ fucking- _ kind, and, you know, they always say, ‘Don’t consult the internet for advice,’ and it’s like,  _ okay _ , but it’d be a little more helpful if you fucking told━”

“Breathe,” CeCe interrupts, Alison giving her a deadpanned look and receiving an eyebrow-raise that tells her not to argue, finally taking a round of three breaths. “Now… continue, but  _ slowly _ ,” her uppity tone makes the other blonde want to throw something, but she clenches her jaw with another inhale being sucked up.

“So, I thought, ‘Fuck it,’ and didn’t get  _ any  _ vitamins.  _ Then  _ I reach the register to get my medication, and the price apparently shot up since the last time I went,” it ends with a scowl, Alison having the drive to roll her eyes at everything. “I honestly blame myself for believing it’d be a simple trip.”

“But you still got your meds, right?” her friend frowns in question. “You need them.”

“I know that,” she gets defensive and her words crack in the middle, earning a silent wave of attitude from CeCe who creases her forehead. “Yes, I did get them,” she relents before flashing back to the moment she first looked into warm, brown eyes. “A really sweet stranger gave me some money.”

“How much were you short?”

“Ten dollars, maybe,” Alison leans her backside against the counter, crossing her arms.

“Jeez, not many people would lend that,” CeCe muses, more so to herself, and the other girl absentmindedly smiles where she stands until her friend is teasing, “Maybe you have an admirer.” 

Before she can refute the idea, CeCe continues, “They were standing behind you, weren’t they?” with a smug grin and bouncing eyebrows.

Alison rolls her eyes on cue, chuckling at the suggestion until the amusement dies down with her lower lip being gingerly tucked between her teeth. The same feeling she got when around the friendly brunette grows in her stomach again until it’s driving upward and making her heart feel fuzzy, leaving her smile to fall while her eyes trail off to the side of the room. CeCe watches obvious questions form behind her friend’s eyes when she looks lost in deep thought, Alison chewing her lower lip constantly until her mouth opens and quivers like she’s trying to say something.

She hesitates when wanting to confess to CeCe as to what she felt around the girl, knowing it sounds crazy because she doesn’t know anything about her other than she’s sweeter than most people and smells better than just about everyone. Yeah, that’s something to fawn over, Alison makes a face at herself while looking down. It’s not like the blonde’s ever been openly attracted to girls, either, so all of these little emotions are coming out of nowhere, just to make her head spin. 

Nevertheless, she slumps her shoulders and decides to be honest, wanting to get her thoughts out in the open because she trusts CeCe enough to not judge her.

“I felt weird… around her,” the statement breaks in the middle with profound hesitation muting part of it.

“What do you mean?” it’s not prying or invasive, but strangely curious and a little lost because she’s not getting much to go on.

“I can’t explain it,” although she really can’t, Alison feels crestfallen because she wants CeCe to know what she’s experiencing; it’s hard not being able to explain something when she’s trying to, being left tongue-tied. “I just felt fuzzy, kinda,” her eyes turn childish, not daring to look at her friend because she knows how stupid it sounds.

CeCe waits a moment and nods slowly, still not knowing what to reply. Without giving it much thought because Alison begins to walk past her to move over toward the apartment’s windows on the east wall, she only ends up giving the excuse, “It’s probably because she did a nice thing for you. Elliott put you through a lot, and maybe a little act of kindness really did go a long way.”

“Yeah, I guess,” the words are dull and sound like she didn’t think them through before they came out, resembling that of a robot with no real emotion.

Alison now stands in front of one of the two, “living room” windows on the eastern wall, assessing her surroundings like she does each day while getting lost in thought. She stares across the street and notes the roof of the nextdoor building being covered in what looks like gravel and a few, fallen leaves, following the edge of the platform until she’s staring at the pharmacy where she came into contact with a stranger she hopes to see━ 

Looking down at the sidewalk between her apartment complex and the pharmacy, the thought-of brunette jogs past other citizens with ease, occasionally checking whatever’s on her wrist before moving forward. CeCe begins to talk about something in the background without her friend listening whatsoever, Alison staring through the glass while smiling at the way the stranger moves and how in-tune she seems with everything, almost like she does this every day, and, suddenly, the blonde begins to wonder if this really is the girl’s jogging route ━ A.K.A. past her apartment. She bites her inner cheek while her attentive eyes continue to follow the brunette down the sidewalk and around the corner of the gravel-roofed building until she’s out of sight, feeling her insides shake with a sense of…  _ something _ . 

And it’s definitely not due to the girl’s kindness. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How’s that for a kickstarter?
> 
> First things first: For reasons you aren’t aware of yet, I think this version of Alison is high on my list of favorites. Without spoiling anything, I feel it’s just because she’s so authentic in terms of how she carries herself throughout life, despite Elliott being a jackass and this pregnancy’s timing being so off. Quite frankly, optimism is her strong-suit, and that’s nice to see in comparison to other fics of mine, and other portrayals, in general.
> 
> In regards to Elliott, I know a few people (if not most) will be kinda questionable when it comes to Emily and Alison starting a relationship so soon after he’s been pushed out of the picture (which, obviously, isn’t a spoiler since this is an Emison fic), but I’ll reassure you that I’m not having anyone as the “rebound” ━ which, actually, will be brought up briefly ━ and, throughout the story, Alison’s point of view will be explained. It’s something I can resonate with, too, so it’s certainly not as shaky as it seems.
> 
> How about this baby? Okay, so we have a little information about him or her. Obviously, for starters, their existence was stumbled upon in the worst-timed fashion, but Alison still handled that well ━ and she loves this child, I’ll tell you that much; her pregnancy certainly isn’t unwanted. Also, it’s not biologically hers, nor is it biologically Elliott’s ━ and, heads-up: Elliott won’t appear in this story, at any point, unless via a flashback or two. I’m sure there are already plenty of theories swirling around ━ which is great, seeing as that was my intention; this is a fast-paced story, so things will unravel quite quickly.
> 
> Before we hit the Emison discussion, let’s talk about these friend-groups. Surprise (or not)! I switched them up again. On one side, we have Alison with Aria and CeCe, and they’re a group I’ve unexpectedly had so much fun with, as their personalities all differ. Seriously, I’m stoked for you to see them all together, and we’ve already gotten a taste for CeCe’s persona which is always a great time. Emily, on the other hand, runs with Hanna, Mona, and Spencer ━ and, hey, we’ve already met Spencer, too! Honestly, guys… the Vandermarin friendship is hella strong in here, and that duo will be appearing in the next chapter.
> 
> Our first Emison meet-up! Clearly, Emily’s going to give Alison a run for her money ━ hah-hah, I’m so (painfully) funny. Seriously, though: This startup chapter wholeheartedly stands as a generalized taste of their oncoming relationship, and I love it; looking back and seeing how they initially acted with each other is insanely fun, mostly because they keep these aspects and only evolve together. To explain myself, I’m talking about, like… in a lot of fics (often in mine, particularly), Alison is the one who’s able to strike Emily quickly, leaving her speechless, but the opposite definitely happened here. It won’t last long, however, because Alison won’t let it, and she’ll definitely fight back with a few flirtatious quips of her own. Really, it’ll turn into a little competition ━ hello, Place Your Bet. You won’t even have to wait long to see it, either… 
> 
> Next chapter, we’ll be introduced to Emily’s lifestyle, her friends, their relationship altogether, a little bit of Spoby, Haleb mentions, and you may very well see Emison’s second encounter. 
> 
> So, with that being said, I hope to see you for chapter two, my friends, in a few days (probably four). Heads-up: My updating schedule for this, again, is sporadic, but it probably won’t be every three days (not now, anyway) since I’m still writing it/revising, and I don’t want to rush. 
> 
> So, for now, I’ll be hard at work on this story, reading scary stories, and messing around on Tumblr (“capn-charlie”). See you soon!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good day, fellow associates, and all of you smarty-pantses that are (awesomely) theorizing.
> 
> Have I mentioned how much I love y'all? Even if I have, it's not been done to justice, nor do I think I'll ever get a grasp on words that could possibly describe how I feel when I read your encouraging reviews. I'm sure you're likely tired of hearing me say I thank you guys for the support, but I do. Thank you, thank you, thank you━
> 
> I actually, surprisingly (to me, at least) received a handful of comments expressing how many of you are looking forward to these mish-moshed friend groups. I don't know why it shocked me (in the best way, don't worry), but it did. Maybe it's because, in my opinion, these groupings are probably my favorite from any of my other fics ━ or a close second, if not ━ so I'm stoked to hear that you feel that way. Whenever I mix them up, I feel they bring about different flavors and personas of both Emily and Alison, mostly because not everyone acts the same with certain people, and this has really supported how I wanted to portray them. Oddly enough, also, and I don't say this in a way that should be taken negatively, I love this version of Aria, and she's been so fun to bring to life in here, primarily because I've taken her "hopeless romantic" mindset and set a small fire under her personality, so she's also straightforward and, in a sense, going to be what Spencer is to Emily. Everyone is utilized, and I'm excited to get to all of it.
> 
> With that being said, I'll shut up now.
> 
> *Cue fic's intro. theme*

The scent of waffles and omelets fills the air, adding to the overall, “diner” vibe when she hears forks clinking somewhere behind her and newspaper crinkling whenever an older man decides it’s time to take another sip of juice or coffee. It’s not busy in the cluttered yet homey establishment, but it’s not entirely empty, mainly filled with people who arrived just in time for a late breakfast, brunch, early lunch, or something they didn’t plan for.

Emily, herself, showed up roughly an hour ago, wanting to spend some time with her friends since she’ll be seeing the other half of her group ━ Spencer and Toby ━ later in the day, not to mention the fact that she already completed her first jogging cycle around the neighborhood where both her apartment and the diner reside, so there’s not much else to do.

She lets her senses take in the familiar environment while her eyes bore into the screen of her phone, thoroughly enjoying the warmth, scent, taste, and utmost appeal of her visit to the diner that Hanna ever-so-gracefully manages alongside Mona who adds her own spunk to everything, most recently coming in the form of new napkins that the blonde questioned her for; _“We don’t need swans, Mona. We’re at the very edge of the city in a neighborhood that no one knows about. People come for the food.”_

Emily was there for that bickerment, eyes bouncing back and forth when Mona responded with a confident yet taunting _“Uh-uh-uh… no atmosphere, no worth”_ while wiggling her finger at the other girl who, afterward, threw her hands up and walked into the back room. Oddly enough, the next day, a grey-haired, big-boned man with a ballcap came into the diner, sat down, and smiled big when he picked up his “swan” napkin, Hanna making proud chitchat with the customer known by everyone as “Big Ben.”

 _“Yeah, the napkins were my idea,”_ the blonde beamed, Mona walking out from the back room and smacking her on the head with the man’s newspaper.

Emily clears her throat when she finishes up scrolling through her (dead as ever) social media apps, trying to occupy herself for the time being because it’s nearly one o’clock and there’s nothing else to do. Her plate is empty and pushed away, ready to be taken by one of the sweet waitresses that never really speak, otherwise, while her water is halfway full. Hanna swipes through her own phone only feet away from where Emily sits at the edge of the diner’s front counter, the girl’s cheek pressed against her fist until she straightens her back with a huff and walks over to the brunette who locks eyes with her, on contact.

“Bored?” Emily wonders aloud, squinting one eye in question as Hanna emphatically cracks her back and makes a face in response to the popping that occurs in a place or two.

“Bored, tired, _annoyed_ ,” she lists. “I’m just…” an irritated, half-groan, half-screech comes from her throat.

“Same,” Mona exits the back room, shuffling until she’s standing next to Hanna so they’re both across from Emily’s seat.

“Why does Caleb have to leave so early, every damn morning?” her voice is pouty. “ _And_ come home so late at night. It’s getting ridiculous.”

“Maybe because he works more than an hour away,” Mona turns to the girl standing beside her. “Blame your mother.”

“I do blame my mother!” the blonde all but shouts with bug-eyes, Emily snickering while remembering how the girl’s mouth dropped open when hearing that her mother had offered Caleb a new job working at her fancy, Philadelphia hotel only weeks after the two got engaged.

 _“Talk about running over my excitement,”_ Hanna gruffed at the time, though her friends knew she was overall happy for Caleb due to his blatant enthusiasm and beaming smile when he immediately accepted. Before the offer, his career in computer-oriented issues had been hanging on by a thread at a run-down, ready-to-close company in a nearby, sketchy town. Emily recalls first hearing about his old job and how unequipped it seemed, making a face at Hanna who only said, _“Yeah, I know.”_

“I still can’t believe she didn’t ask me before she offered him the job,” her words fall back into a whiny, childish tone, crossing her arms.

“He’s a big boy, Han. He can make his own decisions,” Mona teases, being glared at before it diminishes, and the girl in mention slumps her shoulders.

“I know that,” she sighs. “I just miss him.”

“Weren’t you thinking of moving closer to Philly, anyway?” Emily touches the rim of her water glass to her lips, looking at Hanna.

“We still are,” the confession comes easily, but her friends can tell she’s skittish about the idea. “Everything’s here, though. You guys, this place,” she looks around the diner. “I mean, we wouldn’t be moving far, and I’d still work here, but… it’s _change_. I don’t like change.”

“I think we all figured that when you damn near had a coronary about the napkins,” the dark-haired girl mumbles to derail whatever sense of sentiment that was being drummed up.

“I already told you I was wrong,” Hanna semi-snaps, daggers being shown in her co-manager’s direction.

“Really?” Emily looks at Mona. “Why didn’t you record it?”

“You know what _I’d_ like to record?” the blonde puts on a huge, fake smile, leaning over the counter so Emily backs up with sealed lips and an un-threatened, questioning head-tilt. “The look on your face when I ban you from this place.”

“You could’ve done without the rhyming,” Mona intervenes from behind Hanna, bouncing her eyebrows at the girl when she’s turned to with a stiff posture and eyes that ask, “what the fuck?”

“How’s the hotel doing, anyway?” Emily places her water onto the counter again, making a damp ring atop the surface with moisture beading down the wall of the cup. “Are the renovations finished?”

“Yes, thank God,” her palms are placed on the counter. “I don’t think I would’ve been able to take another day of my mom calling with woes and bones to pick over which horrid, lobby fixture her designer wanted to choose.”

“Oh, the one they went with is _gorgeous_ ,” again, Mona cuts in with exaggerated words. “Not too much, not too little,” she makes a clicking noise with one eye squinted, resembling the sound to go along with a “finger guns” gesture.

Hanna only stares at her for a few moments longer, soon facing Emily again with a demeanor that begs her to help because she’ll be stuck with the girl for another string of hours, then tomorrow, and the next day, and the next━

“How’s your little-tike league going?” the blonde switches the topic over to Emily who leans back in her chair and takes a breath, pursing her lips and nodding.

“Pretty good, actually. We had a game just yesterday. Didn’t do too bad,” she thinks back to the day prior and how her team kept order throughout the game, only growing discombobulated on a few drives that they’ll be working on during next week’s practice.

Emily smiles at the thought of her job, never getting bored of working with the young children of Army families. Originally, years ago, her father came to her with an idea of getting a group of kids together ━ primarily ones belonging to families with a mother and/or father who serve in the military ━ in hopes that they’d be able to talk to a few schools or organizations in the area and eventually get the green-light to create their own team. It was a tedious process, mostly because no one believed they’d be able to reach out to enough, willing families that’d have kids who wanted to play youth football without belonging to a specific school. Their goal was to create a compact community consisting of children who’d want to connect with others approximately their age.

 _“All in the name of football,”_ her father proclaimed with such a proudness to his stature, Emily laughing, at the time, but agreeing, nonetheless.

Finally, when they had enough kids and many more families that supported the idea of “opening” the school-bound competition to the newly assembled, Army team, a string of meetings were held ━ all of which Emily will never forget because she nearly fell asleep in the majority of them ━ and they were officially brought into the bracket of competition.

Over the course of multiple seasons, as team members came and went, Emily and her father would receive heightened gratitude and kid-given hugs matched with smiles and stories of how teammates found their best friends through the program. Emily even got misty-eyed at a few of them, never getting tired of the feeling because, in a way, it seems like she’s helped these kids. Additionally, working with her father is a big perk, her bond with her parents stronger than ever since her mother, nine out of ten times, attends their weekly practices, scrimmages, and games.

Emily smiles again, hearing the tail end of Hanna asking, “And how are your parents?” as if she read the girl’s mind.

“You act like you haven’t seen me in weeks. I was just here three days ago,” she chuckles and shakes her head. “They’re good, though. Same as the other day.”

“I’m just trying to make smalltalk with my friend,” her defense is weak and cracked, tightening her shoulders and easing her head forward. “Why is that so weird?”

“Christ, that thing’s huge,” Mona stares at her phone while standing behind Hanna, immediately raising her eyes and prematurely scolding, “Don’t even say it,” when she sees the blonde’s mouth open in amusement.

“What?” Emily looks past Hanna.

“Spencer’s ring,” she shows them the picture, though they’ve already seen it whilst scrolling through Instagram earlier. “Did Toby strike gold while excavating for the new, downtown office building?”

The brunette snorts.

“You hadn’t seen it? In person, I mean,” Hanna’s question comes with narrowed eyes when looking at Mona who shakes her head.

“I wasn’t there for the celebration dinner, remember?” her response has accusations laced everywhere, ultimately confirmed with a blunt “Assholes” being added.

“It’s not like we didn’t invite you!” the blonde’s voice raises. “It’s your fault for choosing to help my mom with a damn Excel spreadsheet instead of━”

She holds a finger up so Hanna will stop talking, the girl frowning severely with Emily sealing her lips from where she sits.

“Have they started discussing wedding plans yet?” Mona glances between the other two.

“I doubt it,” Hanna all but chokes out, wanting to laugh at the idea. “They literally just got engaged, and, if I know Spencer as well as I _know_ I know Spencer…” her voice trails off, going wide-eyed.

“We’ll have a date set, three years from now,” Emily mumbles, and the blonde begins to giggle, the sound dying down rather quickly with a glum sigh exiting her throat.

“It’s no fun mocking her when she’s not here.”

“I admire her sense of deliberation,” Mona intervenes while stepping forward so she’s against the counter to mirror Hanna’s new position. “Gives me time to find a date for the event.”

Before anyone can take a simple inhale, Mona turns to Emily with a sly grin and squinted eyes, “When are _you_ going to find someone?”

“For the wedding?” her forehead creases.

“In general.”

“Yeah, Em,” Hanna tilts her head to the side, looking smug and ready to piggyback onto the attack because she’s been toyed with for most of this diner-visit.

“Okay, look, I━” she tries with a weak, caught-off-guard laugh, but the impending explanation (or excuse) dies when Mona’s attitude turns serious.

“You’re brutally single.”

“You’re one to talk,” Emily’s laugh grows fuller, amused by the fact that she’s being assessed by someone who’s been single for as long as she has ━ if not _longer_.

“I tried asking you on a date, just last month,” the girl raises her chin with a nonchalant posture. “It’s not my fault you declined.”

At the sing-song response, Emily shakes her head with a fading smile, though it sticks behind her eyes because she’s not bitter in the least sense. She’s happy, quite frankly, and life’s going smoothly ━ not to jinx anything, her thoughts muse. Would she love to have someone to hold and care for? Sure. Is she about to go out and make something happen while getting her heart shot down because it seems she can’t hold a connection with anyone? No. If someone just so happens to walk her way with intentions of getting to know her ━ the real, often-good-but-sometimes-bad Emily ━ then she’ll accept it with graciousness. It’s not a big deal, she shrugs and sighs while her friends continue to stare at her like some bug.

“I’m…” her train of thought crashes in an instant, “just living life one day at a time.”

“Okay, Buddha,” Hanna’s addition to the conversation makes both Mona and Emily silently question her with nothing but frowns and looks that beg her to explain what the hell she means ━ not to say she gets the hint because she’s content with her own answer.

“What?” Emily finally asks.

“You, Miss Fields, are a loner,” her voice is light and comforting, totally opposing what she just said.

“What does that have to do with━”

Before the rest of her question can find its way into the space between them, Hanna’s ringtone overruns whatever her wonder was about to be, inviting a sudden “ _Ooh!_ ” from the blonde who shuffles out of the room once she answers it with a fluffy “Hey, babe.”

Emily mutters, “Okay, then,” while beginning to push out of her seat, hearing an insightful “She’s right, you know” come from Mona who remains lingering behind the counter with a knowledgeable, unwavering smile.

Now standing, she rolls her eyes while fixing her outfit and brushing her hands along her t-shirt, replying, “I’m heading out. I’m supposed to see Toby and Spencer later━”

“Third-wheeling again, I see.”

“━and I need to finish a few things around the house before that.”

“Like make your empty bed?”

She takes the teasing with a lighthearted, sheepish grin and another eye-roll, fixing her hair with a friendly “Have a nice day” while walking to the door, pausing when her hand reaches for the handle so she can throw out a remembered “Tell Hanna I said goodbye” that earns an absentminded thumbs-up.

Her eyes note the fair weather when she steps out onto the sidewalk, the air previously being chilly since the epicenter of fall is beginning to approach ━ or what’s _usually_ the midpoint. Lately, the forecast has called for some questionable temperatures, ranging from sixty to eighty-five degrees Fahrenheit with winds, rain, thunderstorms, and blasting sun in no particular pattern.

She moves down the sidewalk with a destined bounce in her step, simply wanting to get back to her apartment so she can clean, shower, and relax before her friends come over. Nearing the pharmacy, her focus zones in on the building, and she wonders if she should slip inside to greet Spencer since the girl’s often shared how bored she feels to be stuck in the same, small space day in and day out, but ultimately shakes her head due to the knowledge that her friend’s shift will be ending within the next hour or so.

A car passes in front of her, and she stops on the edge of the sidewalk, waiting to cross while looking up at her apartment sitting just above the red-logoed CVS Pharmacy.

The memory of first renting the property flashes into her mind, hearing herself judge the idea repeatedly before actually signing papers and making it hers. At first, she had wondered if she should be on the lookout for burglaries since the building stashes a good amount of medication and/or supplies, then her thoughts turned into annoyances when realizing that it’s a twenty-four-hour store, therefore people would be going in and out, each day and night.

Surprisingly, everything’s turned out perfectly, and she hears little to no noise through the floor of her apartment over the course of each day. It’s become a quirk, of sorts, knowing she lives in a small “house” above the local pharmacy. Emily shakes her head with a silly smile, stepping onto the sidewalk and shuffling past the large, front window to look into the shop.

Her body nearly tumbles forward, however, when her eyes go to backtrack while her feet continue in the desired direction, and she hopes no one caught her almost falling onto her face solely because of the brief, captured glance of the blonde who grabbed her attention just last week. Emily wonders if she should ignore her presence and head straight up to her apartment like she intended on doing, only steps away from the door and stairwell, but her curiosity and thirst for communication with the girl get the best of her.

Giving herself a nod and sucking in a breath, Emily takes three steps back, and swiftly turns her body so she can enter the store, the blonde now being nowhere in sight. She doesn’t want to look like a creep, however, so her eyes scan the shelves as if she’s searching for something rather than someone ━ until she finds what she came in here for.

Approaching ever so casually, Emily drums up some confidence ━ a makeshift batch, at that ━ before she’s a foot or so away from the girl who has sporadically popped up in her thoughts ━ and a dream, one night ━ since last week.

“You again?” the brunette smirks and keeps her tone even, almost like she’d been walking around the store before stumbling upon the girl, out of all people.

She’s turned to by the blonde whose eyes instantly light up ━ or so it appears ━ before her mouth opens and she looks away with a flavor of timidity to her reaction. Emily realizes that she’s not going to get much from the girl with such a simple greeting, ultimately expanding on her previous semi-accusation.

“I’m starting to wonder if you’re coming to this pharmacy more often in hopes that we’ll run into each other,” it’s way more flirtatious than she intended, but Emily internally feels impressed with her own words ━ though, from the looks of it, the other girl dares to deny the idea with a hint of teasing in her own light.

“Or _maybe_ I come to this pharmacy particularly for their Gatorade,” she lifts a bottle from her basket, being the same color of blue as last week’s.

“Most pharmacies sell Gatorade,” Emily refutes the idea, the blonde pressing her tongue to her inner cheek with a curt laugh tumbling from her lips.

“Okay, I’ll amuse you,” her statement comes through a sigh. “Maybe I _was_ hoping I’d run into you,” she flutters her eyelashes, afterwards looking away with a blunt shrug. “It’d be nice to have someone pay for me again.”

Emily chuckles and nods while bowing her head, “I can spare a few dollars, if you’d like. For your thirty gallons of Gatorade, of course.”

Her teasing never lets up, the girl standing next to her feeling impressed, but, when her initial laugh dies down, her cheeks turn a reddish tint while looking sheepish.

“You’re just made of money, aren’t you?”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” the brunette raises her eyebrows and peers over the shelf, absentmindedly looking into the next aisle.

“And yet you’re offering me, a stranger, money-help again?” it’s more questionative than anything, Emily focusing back on the blonde even though her eyes quickly dart away.

“Well…”

Vividly blue eyes narrow, “Do I strike you as someone who needs that kind of help?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to.”

“This conversation isn’t going as smoothly as I thought it would,” she pretends to think, chewing her lower lip once the words are in the air.

“Hm, so you planned this?” amusement covers the accusation, the blonde walking past her and advancing in the direction of the frontmost cash register. “You probably planned this entire, pharmacy trip, too. Accusing _me_ of coming here often was a nice smokescreen,” her voice is airy as they reach the counter, Emily following her step by step.

“I didn’t plan it, no,” Emily raises her eyebrows and tries to escape the conversation while hearing the two exchange a few, friendly words over the counter.

The brunette waits to say something more, not wanting to interrupt the interaction or come off as too eager because, really, she just felt herself having the strong desire to end up face to face with the girl who she’s been thinking about. It’s weird, she imagines, judging by the adamancy of her words from when she was speaking to Hanna and Mona about her love life, because she’s felt interested in the blonde she helped out, last week. Truly, she doesn’t expect much, and hadn’t felt a strong pull toward the girl when they first turned to one another in the pharmacy line during their start-up encounter, but, in the following minutes, that changed; once they got a good look at one another outside of the store, she felt fuzzy and mildly confident ━ not to say it lasted for long after they departed because, once she reached her apartment, she wanted to lean her forehead against the wall for all but making a fool out of herself.

“Thank you,” a familiar, sweet voice brings Emily back to the situation at hand, watching the blonde peer over her shoulder while she’s exiting through the sliding doors as if to ask if she’s going to follow.

She does, of course, and gets out a far-less-flirtatious “I really didn’t plan it” in a way that somewhat apologizes for bugging the girl so much.

“I actually live in the upstairs apartment, so I was passing by the front window, I saw you in there, and…” Emily lists before trailing off, lowering her voice as they walk, “I figured you’d like to see a friendly face.”

The other girl finds the words sweet and as caring as last week, her desire to tease the stranger with a statement accusing her of assuming she has a friendly face dwindling until it’s completely dismissed, and her playfulness is put on the backburner. Emily waits and wants to back off, perhaps take three, cautious steps toward her apartment before booking it up the stairs, but she’s finally given a soft grin once they reach the girl’s car in the confines of the store’s, behind-the-building parking lot.

“You know, your face would be much friendlier if I knew your name,” the blonde’s smoothness is intimidating, Emily first staring at her before having to blink hard and clear her throat.

“Emily,” she smiles.

“I’m Alison,” the expression is matched with ease, their eyes locking like they had seven days ago when a sense of comfort flowed between the two strangers.

It’s as confusing as it had been when it first happened, both girls assessing each other and getting a feel for one another’s personality without really speaking or moving. Emily wants to extend the conversation, hoping to get to know the girl now known as Alison, but the words sitting on the tip of her tongue refuse to be heard, and she’s stuck staring into blue eyes that appear both curious and cautious. In a way, it feels like the blonde’s looking for something which she’s not sure is there, in the first place, but Emily continues to let her for the sake of keeping her close. She’s a stranger, the brunette has to internally remind herself, and there’s no reason to be this involved in someone new.

Right?

The silent conversation is broken when Emily looks away and forces a tight-lipped smile, also drumming up some hopefulness when she asks, “Would you like to stop by sometime?” with a short, second-lasting finger-point up to the second floor of the building.

Alison’s lips curve into a smile while the expression fills her eyes with a mysterious sparkle, giving Emily another full glance before turning to her car door and opening it. The brunette waits while her heart somewhat falls into her stomach, hoping she didn’t offend the girl in any way, shape, or form, but her worries are put to rest ━ just barely ━ when Alison keeps the door open in order to accept with a playful, triumphant “Yeah, sometime.”

The car door slams shut seconds later, Emily keeping on a look that inaudibly voices the question, “what are you up to?” even though she backs up so the girl can drive away. Alison continues to smile at her, and the brunette catches a glimpse of the blonde sealing her lips shut once she’s peering into her mirror and focusing on the road, visibly hoping to feel less fuzzy about the encounter.

Emily stands there with a dumbfounded smile, wondering if this is Alison’s way of getting payback for last week’s departure when she was left with so much as a cryptic _“You shouldn’t.”_ Either way, whether or not the only-partly invitation acceptance confuses the hell out of her, Emily openly admits that Alison already has her on some kind of hook, and that’s fucking terrifying when she realizes that, in the end, the girl may or may not appear in her life again.

After all, this was just another random encounter, and what are the chances of it happening again?

 

X X X

 

She feels her cheeks curving into an admirable grin for what feels like the thirtieth time, tonight. In front of her, Toby and Spencer sit together, bickering back and forth with a playfulness that’s both jokingly sickening and amusing ━ also interesting and something Emily wishes she’d be gifted with. Someday, she reminds herself; one day at a time.

Emily sighs and shifts her legs along the couch, loosely hugging her knees while her friends sit huddled up in the corner of the same three-person piece of furniture. They’ve been like this for two hours now, having ordered food together with random stories being tossed back and forth. Many revolved around Spencer’s quest for entertainment at her job, and an outstandingly boring recollection including her eyes training themselves to alphabetize each prescription while they sit on the same shelf for days at a time; _“Interesting, I know,”_ she had collapsed onto the couch.

Toby’s stories were much less detailed and enthusiastic.

 _“Work is work,”_ he shrugged before taking a bite of his food. _“I just get through the day, then come home to this one,”_ his head nodded toward the girl sitting next to him.

His neither-here-nor-there attitude was responded to with a childish _“Aw, you’re so lucky”_ from Spencer, Emily snickering and shaking her head where she sat until she earned a mocking face from the other brunette.

For the most part, however, her mind’s been clouded with thoughts of Alison, including how easily she drove away after a conversation that was pretty entertaining ━ in Emily’s opinion, at least. It’s as if the blonde wanted her to be more interested, like when you’re playing hard to get against someone who already, so-clearly wants you, but you strive to drum up more tension until _finally━_

“Hey, Em,” her nickname is granted automatic attention, “have you met anyone recently?”

Both of her guests giggle in a mildly hushed manner, Emily’s eyes widening because, seriously, what the hell? She takes a huge breath, leaning her head back and groaning, “God, not you guys, too,” with closed eyes and an exhausted posture.

“What?” the couple laughs harder, Spencer doing the majority of it.

“Hanna and Mona are already on my case.”

“I’m just asking because you seem… smiley,” the corner of her mouth twitches into a prying smirk, wanting to get some information from Emily because she knows there’s something different about the way she’s been acting throughout the time they’ve been hanging out.

“Don’t I usually?” Emily wants to roll her eyes at her own deflection, mainly because she knows it’s a horrible wonder, and, instantly, wants to━

“This is different,” the other brunette’s entertainment and teasing die down, simply leaving on kind features that don’t force the information out of her friend ━ although it’s very much a face that begs her to be open, and she knows Emily can’t run away from it.

She rubs her lips together when deciding to duck her head as a last-ditch attempt of avoiding the conversation. Really, Emily knows that neither Spencer nor Toby would ever push her into ‘fessing up to something that’s bothering her ━ not until she’s ready and/or if it was damaging her far too much ━ and the knowledge is comforting. In fact, it’s inviting, and her mouth opens before the tip of her tongue is bitten between her teeth when trying to organize her thoughts. She doesn’t want to seem over-the-moon about Alison ━ and she’s not sure if it’s because she doesn’t want to admit that she’s attracted to a stranger, or due to her lack of confidence in coming face to face with the girl again ━ but her heart flutters at the thought of discussing the blonde in common conversation.

“I met someone,” is her opening statement, immediately having to backtrack. “Well, not in _that_ way. I literally mean I met a girl, and… I don’t know how to explain it. She makes me feel… funny.”

Her friends listen attentively, both sitting in similar positions with expressionless faces, and Emily wants to squint at their in-sync attitude.

She continues, “Today was the second time I saw her at the pharmacy, and━”

“Wait,” Spencer interrupts, a forming smile already breaking whatever she’s about to say, “is this the same girl who you helped pay for?”

“Yeah,” Emily bites her inner cheek and just barely peers at Spencer whose mouth opens in interest.

“Huh, that’s weird.”

This time, both Toby and Emily look at Spencer with questioning stares that break her resolve within seconds.

“I just found it… _intriguing_ ,” the word is emphasized as she stares directly at Emily. “There was something interesting about the whole confrontation, but maybe that’s just because I’m stuck with emotionless pharmacists all day.”

Emily goes to agree, but her eyebrows only furrow when Spencer smirks, “Or _maybe_ I found it interesting once I saw how flirty you were.”

“I wasn’t flirting!”

“Oh, you _so_ were.”

“I just paid for her!” her defense continues to crumble word by word. “How is that flirting?”

“It’s the _way_ you did it,” Spencer explains, smug. “All _‘don’t ask and I won’t tell’_ with a smirk and _daring_ eyes,” she deepens her voice with matching, odd hand gestures to prove her point, afterwards turning to Toby and saying, “You should’ve seen it.”

Suddenly, the other girl has no way of denying what happened, feeling her body relax into the couch arm that’s set behind her, “I didn’t mean to.”

“I think she liked it,” it comes with a shrug, Spencer smiling hard. “She was staring at you while I was filling your prescription.”

“Emily’s got an admirer,” Toby sings.

“It was probably just because she wanted to thank me,” the girl in mention dismisses the idea, though she needs to take a breath because she feels her cheeks warming up. “She stopped me outside the store.”

“But what happened today? You said you saw her.”

“Um,” she squints one eye, making a face, “I was on my way home from the diner, and you know I pass by the front of the store, so I saw her in there, and…” her shoulders slump, “I guess I felt drawn to her, in a way.”

Two sets of eyes watch her with seriousness that tells her to continue.

“So, I went in, and we talked for a little because I initially asked if she started coming to this pharmacy more often in hopes of seeing me, and _━God_ , I really _was_ flirting,” it’s ended with the girl making an exaggerated grimace after a dramatic, out-of-breath whine, leaning her head back as Toby laughs hard.

Spencer matches the reaction but more mildly, forcing her laughter down to ask, “Was she receptive?”

“I mean, maybe… I don’t know,” Emily feels like she’s repeating herself, wide-eyed. “She asked for my name, and gave me hers,” her body relaxes. “Alison,” she recalls, and Spencer sees her eyes soften.

The abrupt change in mood makes her smile, more so in a form of curiosity because she wants to continue digging for information regarding the girl who’s apparently tugging on Emily’s heartstrings, but Spencer, instead, changes the subject with a lighthearted sigh that practically says they’ve been through this newness before ━ albeit it never happened on the other brunette’s account.

“Has Hanna given you a ship-name yet?

“No,” Emily deadpans.

“Should I━”

“No.”

Spencer raises her hands in a form of silent surrender, keeping her eyes locked with Emily who sinks further and further into the back of the couch like she’s hoping it consumes her so she doesn’t have to endure another conversation about what’s going on in her head. On sight, Spencer narrows her eyes at the brunette in front of her, not wanting to let her escape so easily because, for the longest time, she had been the brunt of the teasing, smitten jokes whereas, now, she has the upper hand.

“So, I guess I’ll be seeing you at the pharmacy, _daily_ , from now on,” her voice is a little too knowing for her own good, Emily smirking triumphantly when she already has a good response.

“I live above it, so yeah,” she tilts her chin upward with a smug grin, Spencer rolling her eyes and elbowing Toby when he chuckles from the cushion next to her.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I don’t care,” it’s final, leaving no room for further argument on the topic because she refuses to let her friends suck her into the idea that this could, in the end, solidly happen; although she’d be more than willing to get to know Alison, and honestly wants to return to the pharmacy each and every hour to see if she could coincidentally bump into her again, she knows nothing about the girl aside from the fact that she has the most beautiful blue eyes to match the color of Gatorade she normally buys.

Emily smiles at the image, blushing hard and having to bite down on her lower lip while ducking her head in hopes that neither of her friends caught it. They did, however, and can’t help but mimic the brunette’s admirable smile from before.

Apparently, happiness is contagious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That it is, my friends, that it is…
> 
> These two… being so stuck on each other after a pair of "accidental" (I see you, Emily) meetups. It's important to note a parallel I threw into these first couple of chapters, Emily's quote from this update ━ "She makes me feel… funny" ━ being basically the same as Alison's from last update: "I felt weird… around her." There's obviously something between them, and I'm not just saying that because I wrote the dang story, and I'm sure at least fifty percent of us can hazard a guess as to what's affecting them ━ aside from the impeccable chemistry. They're confused, too, and that's a given, especially because Emily (as she said) is content with how life's going no matter if she's with someone or on her own, and Alison is the same way; they're both independent, so feeling beyond infatuated with someone (a stranger, nonetheless) is kinda new, even for Alison who recently exited a relationship ━ part of that is also due to her lack of love for Elliott in a romantic setting, which we'll explore.
> 
> After last chapter, it seems Alison is quickly matching Emily's "confidence" with witty remarks and teasing. There's the Alison we know and love. Told you so ━ I mean, I wrote it, so I kinda knew it would happen, but━ Anyway! They've finally exchanged names, and we're getting somewhere solid. They're going to keep up this flirtatious, "I want to get to know you" banter when they see each other next, and they'll share some personal stories, maybe or maybe not including Alison's "I'm with child" info piece. Spoiler alert for the whole fic: There's Emison (conversations) in every chapter, it's great. I wasn't lying when I said I shoved so much fluff into this story that it's become more rounded than a dog's plush toy.
> 
> Fun fact: Emily was initially only supposed to live near this pharmacy, but I was like #yolo and built her (or blueprinted) a lone apartment over the shop. She's the building's only tenant, so I think that's a fun thing to know ━ mainly because it's in the same neighborhood as Alison's apartment. Everything is close by, and the characters are very tight-knit. Another warm, autumnal theme, if you'd be so kind as to picture that.
> 
> Like Alison's future recollection(s) in terms of her personal story, Emily's is quite warming, as you got a taste of that when she was sitting in the diner ━ which, by the way… isn't it so-gracefully managed by two of our favorites? We'll hear more about Emily's job in chapter three, and it pretty much sums up her personality and why she's going to be painted as so caring and naturally nurturing. Side note: Mr. Fields is alive and well, so hallelujah.
> 
> I know we're only two chapters in, but I hope this story is living up to expectations when it comes to introductions. It didn't take long to be finished with those, luckily, and we're finally moving onto the good stuff ━ or good fluff.
> 
> As always, enjoy the rest of your day/night/morning/whatever, and I'll be back to provide a good ole' Emison-packed chapter before you know it ━ again, like… four days. Sit tight, loves.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Wednesday! ━ or, as I like to call it: Updating-day!
> 
> Again, thank you for the overwhelmingly positive response to the two first chapters (introduction chapters, really), and I pray that trend continues for this update and the next however-many (since I don't feel like doing the math out).
> 
> I've recently finished writing chapter seventeen, so there's a heads-up for those who were wondering, and I'll be working on the remaining chapters as fast as I can (while also being diligent). There's some great quality in the future for y'all to read, though, so stick around.
> 
> I'm sure you want to get right to it, so go ahead. Read to your heart's desire ━ at least until you hit the bottom's author's note.

Alison interchangeably bounces her legs whilst sitting in the front seat of her car, her fingertips tapping along the blank yet full, miniature envelope in her hand. She feels ten levels past nervous for whatever reason, occasionally looking around to study her surroundings while parked in a space at the far end of the pharmacy’s back lot ━ with underlying hopes that she doesn’t get fined for staying here, being less than a customer and more of a visitor.

After three days of thinking, and a strong desire to approach Emily again ━ not to say she’s had the courage to do it, herself, in the time they’ve known each other (just barely) ━ Alison dragged herself back to the pharmacy to buy the girl a thank-you card. While she was there, part of her wondered if she’d somehow bump into the brunette another time because, apparently, that’s their go-to for encounters, but it (rather unfortunately) didn’t happen. In fact, Alison was so bummed out about the lack of warm, brown eyes that she felt silly for getting her hopes up, in the first place. Following those feelings were questions upon still-unanswered questions, the blonde asking herself why she’s so affected by Emily, anyway, and what does she  _ want  _ to happen? She could’ve laughed at her ambition to get to know the girl who’s not so much a stranger anymore, and, quite frankly, her eyes want to roll at her lack of reality when it comes to the situation.

After all, they met in a pharmacy, on a whim, when she was a bundle of frustration and irritation, and their initial eye contact was through nervousness and the fact that she didn’t have enough money to pay for her  _ pregnancy  _ medication.

That brings the biggest problem to the forefront of her conscience: who, in their right mind, would want to get involved with someone who’s newly pregnant and fresh out of a short engagement due to unfaithfulness?

Alison sighs and shifts her jaw with her lips parted, afterwards closing her mouth and looking at the brick wall which hides the door leading to Emily’s apartment stairs. Just past it is a mailbox where she’ll stash the envelope in hopes that the girl doesn’t see a blank letter and toss it in the trash. 

She knows it’s not that personal since she didn’t write anything on the outside ━ and hardly inside, either ━ but the sentiment of Emily being so kind and welcoming mattered enough to cause Alison to make an effort of her own. The contents of the card aren’t the prettiest, and it’s clear that it’s cheap while being less-than-heartfelt, but she hopes her strides to match the brunette’s courtesy are worth something extra. 

It makes Alison’s heart sink a bit further into her chest, however, because she’s only presented an important, card-inscribed thank-you like this in one other scenario ━ one that hardly lessened the debt of what that person, anonymous or not, had done for her ━ and, since then, no kind gestures have amounted to this heavy meaning, so she doesn’t want to fumble her opportunity to pay the girl back ━ not just with money, but with a sweet reach-out.

Plus, it gives Alison a sense of closure, hoping to appease her desire to match Emily’s personality whether it’s via teasing, a bright smile, or meaning. 

The thought makes a tiny, faded smirk tug at one corner of the blonde’s mouth, finally nodding to herself while opening her car door to slide out of the seat. Her feet are placed on the cement quickly, sturdying her knees since they shake with nervousness. She constantly wants to roll her eyes at herself for being so anxious; it’s such a simple task ━ placing the card in the mailbox and turning away to drive home ━ but, for whatever reason, her legs are close to collapsing, and, yet again, it’s unknown if this is her normal, crush-ridden self, or a result of her pregnancy.

Pebbles crunch beneath her feet once she steps onto the raised sidewalk pressed against the building to wrap around the corner, and her eyes finally land upon the black, metal mailbox where she’ll store the envelope before skittering away. The doubled-up paper is locked between her fingers, and she studies the lone name on the mailbox, staring at it while wondering why it holds multiple handles if there’s only one tenant. She shakes her head and opens the object to hear an ungreased squeak, ready to━ 

“Alright, are you  _ stealing  _ my mail, or delivering it?”

Alison turns on her heels to see Emily standing only feet away, chin raised with an arched eyebrow and that beautiful, smug grin on her face. The blonde seals her lips and bows her head with cheeks that begin to warm up even though she clears her throat to make them stop, locking eyes with the girl and narrowing them once she comes up with a good rebuttal.

“I can’t steal your mail when you don’t have any,” she tilts her head to the side. “It’s Sunday.”

Emily presses her tongue to her inner cheek with a tinge of embarrassment covering her posture, crossing her arms and letting out a laugh that Alison doesn’t catch.

The blonde continues, “Why are you always lurking around?”

“I don’t think it’s considered lurking when we’re on my lot.”

She’s internally impressed with the other girl’s response, more so because she very rarely meets people who can match her quick-wittedness ━ CeCe being a great exception to that. Her features don’t show it, however, and blue eyes pierce into sweet brown with her inviting aura never faltering throughout the silent moment. Alison nearly gets sucked into it, feeling herself slipping and wanting to question the girl on how she manages to be so captivating with very little (to none, at all) effort.

Her fingers shift against the blank letter in her hand, having held onto it for dear life instead of dropping it into the girl’s mailbox, and she lets up on her grip while glancing down. She brings it toward her torso for a short moment, looking like she’s debating on giving it to Emily, after all, and the brunette watches her, in the meantime. Finally, Alison takes a breath and forces a newer, genuine smile, offering the card to Emily who squints her eyes in question, but takes it, nonetheless.

“So, you  _ were  _ delivering something,” her gentle accusation gets a sealed-lipped reaction from Alison who nods once, firmly.

“It’s just a thank-you note for helping me out at the pharmacy,” Alison explains, “and for being so nice.”

Emily looks up from the envelope without opening it, a bashful smile on her face, “You didn’t have to do that.”

“You didn’t have to do what you did, either.”

A mutual understanding, of sorts, passes through the brick-surrounded area. They’re separated by feet of space even though Emily wants to take multiple steps closer and wrap Alison in a hug. It’s too forward, she sadly decides, and her only, following action is to smile bigger while putting on her most convincing attitude. 

“Did you only come to bring me this, or is this our ‘sometime’ encounter?”

Alison matches her fresh smile without missing a beat, loving the sight of the other girl’s happiness while feeling a strange pull in her chest. It’s so weird to feel something evidently strong for someone whom you don’t know much ━ if anything ━ about, but Alison would be lying if she said it isn’t alluring enough to make her accept the girl’s underlying offer.

“It is,” she nods without much hesitation, Emily semi-emphatically waving toward the entrance of the building’s stairwell leading to the upper level before moving so Alison can follow.

Behind the brunette, Alison bites her lower lip, ascending the steps until they’re taking a right turn and walking down a rather-lengthy, uncolored hallway. It’s a nice building considering it’s only built for the pharmacy and Emily’s above apartment, being decorated with old, wood floors that bottom the walls’ brick pattern. At the end of the hallway is the emergency exit which you can see from the parking lot outside, a black-railed platform resting just past the upper level’s door.

She hears the creak of Emily’s apartment door once it’s unlocked, the brunette pushing it open so they can walk through. Instantly, Alison smiles at the space, more so because it looks nothing like hers ━ not to say she’s given her new apartment much thought, design-wise ━ and it’s interesting to know how people decorate their personal environments. 

The brick continues into the area but it’s not too chilly like one would expect from the exposed, cool stone, and her feet still stand on the nice, wood floors. To the left of the entrance are two doors plus a closet, only noticing that they lead to the bathroom and Emily’s bedroom once she takes three steps further into the space. Most of the area is open, a three-person couch and TV being visible near the north wall whereas past that is a small, round table resembling the one she has in her own apartment. Looping around the wall next to the front entrance is the kitchen, the brunette making her way into the space once the door is closed behind them.

Emily looks back and chuckles when she sees her assessing the new surroundings, Alison shaking her head with a dopey grin because all she wants to do is squeakily defend herself and claim that it’s not her fault she’s interested in fresh places. The brunette decides against teasing her too much, however, and tosses the blank envelope onto the countertop when she decides to give Alison her full attention while she’s here.

Alison walks over to where Emily now stands behind an extended, wrap-around kitchen island, the surface separating them as blue eyes continue to dot across the space in amusement. It’s not a big residence, leading her to question why the pharmacy appears so expansive whereas this is a cozy size, and she feels herself nodding before locking eyes with Emily again. She gains a shyness to her posture, and has to look away quickly with a smile that she can’t stop before it makes her look childish.

“What?” her voice is quiet, Emily feeling herself being pushed to call Alison cute but remaining silent on the subject.

“Do you want anything?” the brunette settles on being a good host, looking to the left side of the counter. “Coffee?”

At the offer, Alison wants to accept the energy and warmth with open arms, but ends up declining with a casual “I’m fine” because, earlier today, she self-interestedly declared that it’s time for her to clean up her diet and caffeine intake for the sake of her health ━ and the baby’s.

“Are you sure?” the blonde’s hesitation gets a second check from Emily, afterwards joking, “You don’t even want some Gatorade?”

Alison rolls her eyes and shakes her head with a laugh, Emily loving the sound and sealing her lips to stop herself from smiling when her guest backtracks so she can sit down. 

Emily follows within seconds, approaching slowly because she doesn’t want to seem so eager. Mentally, she wonders when she became so careful and full-minded when it comes to her actions, feeling like she’s mapping out her every move so she doesn’t fuck up with Alison.  _ “Content with life,” _ my ass, Emily makes a face.

They’re turned toward each other in the midst of the silence disrupted by occasional car horns. It’s not awkward nor questionable, but the two study each other in a way that portrays they’re trying to figure out one another’s motives and/or history by simple looks. They feel comfortable, actually, and the only thing that steers them away from staying like this for an extended amount of time is the fact that Alison, first, senses herself wanting to smile at Emily for absolutely no reason, so she turns away while biting the inside of her lower lip.

Emily’s gaze bores into the profile of Alison’s face while blue eyes note everything in the room, wanting to spend as much time as she can turned away from the brunette because it’s becoming evident that her (admitted) crush-state is starting to amount to something…  _ deeper _ — despite the fact that she has no idea why.

Alison breathes out heavily, and Emily wonders if something’s wrong, wanting to ask if there’s something on her mind but not getting the chance before the blonde glances below the TV to find a picture on one of the shelves, beaming and turning to face the girl sitting beside her with an accusatory expression.

“No wonder I thought the pharmacist looked like she was trying to hide a smug face. You know her,” her voice partly squeaks when she gets hit with the “aha!” moment, Emily following her line of sight and laughing with a silly nod when she remembers where she put the framed picture of her friend group ━ Spencer by her side, arm draped around the other brunette’s shoulder.

“She’s actually one of my best friends, yeah,” Emily confesses with her smile never disappearing.

At first, Alison only hums with severely narrowed eyes and a prying grin that never leaves her face, reading Emily who emphatically bites her lower lip as if to say, “you caught me.”

“Were you just trying to show off your kindness in front of her?” the blonde’s next question gets a snort from Emily who goes wide-eyed.

“No, definitely not,” her amusement lowers. “I wouldn’t want to give her a reason to expect more from me.”

The other girl laughs hard, and Emily feels her heart flutter at the sound while her confidence continues to grow and fade sporadically even though she’s trying to keep up with Alison who seems to be the master at teasing and playful banter. Emily clears her throat at the thought and bows her head, roles now being reversed when Alison’s eyes bore into the girl’s temple without being turned to.

“Really, though. Thank you,” Alison gets Emily’s attention by using a softer, more-serious voice. “It’s been a while since someone’s given me a reason to feel good about things,” she admits while playing with her fingers. “Aside from my friends, I mean.”

Emily picks up on the calm yet mildly upset nature strewn within her words, “You don’t usually feel good about things?”

“I don’t think you want to open that can of worms,” it’s matched with a curt laugh, though it’s mostly died-down to the point of just coming out, at the beginning.

“Try me.”

She’s turned to like before, Emily’s expression inviting and truly open to listening ━ no matter if they’ve known each other, solidly, for not even an hour. Alison wants to escape the conversation still, however, because it’s not like she’s ready to chase Emily away just yet ━ or ever. If she could, she’d entirely ignore her past and hide it in a box somewhere, but she’d never be able to keep her pregnancy to herself. Emily, for sure, would realize something’s up, sooner or later. 

Alison opens her mouth and takes a sharp inhale, readying herself to vaguely explain something to the girl who stares at her with attentiveness and will to wait in case the blonde isn’t prepared to be an open book so soon. 

“Lately, it’s been difficult to look at things so positively,” her initial statement sums everything up, almost like the thesis of a school paper, and, once Alison hears her own words, she makes a self-annoyed face before pulling more from her head. “I manage, but… some days I just feel reluctant to admit that there are nice people in the world.”

“Why?” she feels interested in the girl’s explanation, though she can’t deny that believing there’s good in the world is sometimes excruciatingly hard ━ especially once you turn on the news.

“Almost four weeks ago, I found out my fiancé—well, ex-fiancé—had cheated on me with multiple girls. Some being _ minors _ . The most recent was seventeen while he’s… twenty-five, I think. He was arrested, after that,” her voice lightens, looking away.

Emily is shocked to hear Alison talk about the situation with little to no hesitation or audible anger, only appearing like she’s retelling a story that she now knows by heart. It doesn’t make it any less hard to hear, though, and the brunette frowns immediately with a heavy chest and sympathy being evident.

“Jesus,” it comes through an exhale. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m more irritated with myself than I am with him,” Alison confesses when she briefly looks to Emily with a sad grin. “I’m over it already. Like, I’m not just saying that, either,” her shoulders tighten and then slump. “I really don’t give a damn if he rots in jail, or if he gets out with a brand new personality. Admittedly, I’m happier without him.”

She pauses, shrugs, and raises her eyebrows with a deep breath, “Still questioning why life works the way it does, but…” her face contorts into that of the unknown, eyes trailing off to the side of the room.

“So, you’re happy… but you still can’t think positively?” Emily has a hard time following, not sounding judgemental but curious to think the way Alison does because to say she’s intrigued is an understatement.

Alison, seeing her confusion, pushes herself to be bluntly honest, “I’m pregnant.”

Instantly, Emily’s forehead creases and her mouth opens, not wanting to look so taken aback but feeling caught off-guard by the news. She makes sure she appears more sympathetic than anything, despite not knowing what to say following the proclamation. Alison picks up on it, pushing herself to explain so Emily can put together a better timeline.

“I found out a week after,” the blonde makes a face that’s a cross between dark amusement and annoyance, more so at how messy everything became, all at once. “Great timing, right?”

The brunette’s eyebrows raise in agreement, still being at a loss for words. Alison doesn’t hold it against her, realistically, because the whole situation is a bit far-fetched and way more colorful when you know every detail. She doesn’t want to push it, however, and decides to keep the remaining aspects of the recollection to herself ━ for now, at least. 

Silence falls over the two while Emily processes and thinks of something to say, maybe to show Alison that she’s not alone in spite of her ex-fiancé being an absolute tool, and the blonde falls back into her own thoughts.

She’s interested, quite frankly, in the idea of trusting Emily ━ pretty much, at this point, still fresh out of “stranger” territory ━ with vividly personal information whereas she’d normally wait at least a month before tossing these memories onto someone’s plate. It begs the question of whether or not this is Emily’s persona drawing Alison to be honest, or something on the complete opposite side of the spectrum, but she knows, without a doubt, that it’s more complex than simply wanting to get to know someone new. After all, she hadn’t been looking for someone when she came into contact with Emily at the pharmacy, and then when they collided, the second time. Today was different, yeah, but she didn’t really expect to see the brunette this time, either. 

It’s new, Alison muses, and she’s enjoying her time being open with Emily ━ frightened about being so explanatory, too ━ but she’s ready to hear about the brunette, herself.

About her love life, to be specific.

“What about you?” the blonde hopes the other girl will match her sincerity. “Any wild stories about past lovers? Or current,” she adds the afterthought, fishing for an answer.

Emily picks up on what she’s doing and squints, “Why do you want to know?”

“I shared some of my history with you,” Alison doesn’t buy into her confidence. “Why shouldn’t I get the same, in return?”

Instead of battling her further, the brunette rubs her lips together with an oncoming smile, leaning back against the arm of the couch and explaining, “Nothing worth mentioning, but, if you  _ must  _ know, I’m brutally single,” before pausing and adding, “That’s what my friends say, at least.”

“‘ _ Brutally’ _ ? Ouch,” she laughs with a big smile, but also senses a part deep within herself breathe out with relief.

“They also call me a loner.”

“The best of us are,” her mused statement gets a lingering look-over from Emily, Alison turning away in the process because her stare is heavy but also drawing. “So, what do you do for a living?”

“How do you know I don’t spend my days binging Netflix on the couch?”

“There’s not enough to binge on Netflix anymore,” the blonde shrugs with a tone displaying that she knows what she’s talking about. “You’d run out of shows, sooner or later.”

“Hulu.”

She makes a negative humming noise before asking, “Why do you have to answer every question with a question?”

Emily is about to do it again when she catches herself, makes a relenting face, and informs, “I’m the assistant coach to a youth football team primarily for military families. I work with my dad.”

“That sounds so sweet,” it’s not condescending or fake, and Emily appreciates her actual enthusiasm. “Do you like it?”

“I love it,” she confesses, feeling like a dork for admiring her own job so much. “I feel like I’m making a difference in the community, honestly. We worked so hard to get this team up and running because the school-system, initially, didn’t care for us being in the league since we’re neighborhood-formed instead of belonging to a school, and I know we’ve helped a lot of kids feel like they fit in somewhere.”

She catches Alison’s eyes lighting up with interest in her memories and occupation, Emily explaining further, “Growing up, my dad served for a while before retiring during the year I entered college, so I attended many family holidays without him there, and I’d go to school to hear my friends discussing their traditions and what they did with their parents during the break. I felt lonely, sometimes. Not because I didn’t have anyone who’d  _ care  _ to understand, but because I felt like people  _ couldn’t  _ understand, and that’s because I wasn’t connected with any classmates or kids my age who went through the same thing.”

Emily shifts her position on the couch, “ _ So _ , I wanted to change that lonesome feeling in the lives of kids in the area. It was my dad’s idea, but, a year after our team was formed, he told me it was because he and my mom attended a parent-teacher meeting when I was in elementary school, and my teacher had told them that she thought I was outcasting myself from my peers. He knew why I was doing it, so… I guess it just stuck with him,” she finishes with a timid shrug, not knowing why she decided to rant so openly to Alison.

“I think you’re doing something great,” Alison admits, feeling her throat tightening just barely because of the girl’s words. “The world needs more people like you and your dad. Considerate and well-grounded people,” she smiles and Emily matches it, albeit shyly. “The community’s lucky to have you.”

“Sorry, I kinda… unloaded that on you,” the brunette clears her throat, looking away.

“I’m happy you did,” she takes a chance and speaks her mind, being given a pair of warm eyes that, for a split second, flicker to her lips.

Alison feels herself blushing but strays away from acknowledging it too solidly, though it wouldn’t have mattered because Emily bounces the previous question back to her.

“What do  _ you  _ do for a living?” 

“Pretty lame, but I’m a member of the local school board. I mostly work from home, though, so it’s not entirely obnoxious,” a chuckle ends her answer, Emily pursing her lips and nodding. “Plus, one of my friends works at the school where I mainly attend face-to-face meetings, so I sometimes  stop by her classroom to have lunch. It’s nice when I don’t have much to do, otherwise.”

“Have you always done that? Like…” as soon as she asks the question, she can’t dig herself out of the forming hole because she doesn’t want to bring up the girl’s ex-fiancé even though she was about to, however Alison picks up on it and snickers at her struggle.

“I used to work, physically, at one of the schools, but, once I got engaged and moved, the commute was too annoying so I applied for a new position within the system. Either way, it’s all boring,” Alison raises her eyebrows. “My other friend’s studying to be a lawyer, though, and I think that’s even more boring.”

“I can’t even imagine,” Emily stares ahead at the blank TV. “I have to be active. I wouldn’t be able to sit around all day… or use my brain all day, for that matter,” her eyes go wide.

“Do you, by any chance, like to jog?” the blonde asks with a knowingness, trying to stop herself from smiling far too wide, but not having the strength to help it when Emily turns to her with accusations written across her features.

“With questions like that, I’m  _ really  _ starting to think you’ve been planning all these run-ins.”

“I already told you,” Alison sighs, “it’d be nice to have someone pay for me again.”

“I can’t pay for you when I’m jogging,” she throws back. “There’s really no need to be spying on me.”

“Oh, wait a second,” a deep laugh falls from her lips and she waves a finger in Emily’s direction. “No one said anything about ‘spying.’”

“Then how’d you know I jog?” Emily tilts her head to the side.

“A lot of people do it,” it’s matched with a single-shoulder shrug. “It’s not like exercising is an uncommon thing.”

“But you chose to ask if I jog, specifically. It’s different.”

“Mm, I don’t think it is.”

Brown eyes continue to stare at her, hoping she’ll crack and confess as to when and where she saw her ━ or if she’s really been spying. 

Alison only leaves a faded smirk on her face, knowing what she’s doing and loving how she’s already aware of what buttons to press and when. She gets too lost in her own confidence, however, and her eyes drift to Emily’s lips ━  _ twice  _ ━ before her body language visibly relaxes. 

Her legs shift so she can get up, suddenly having to limit herself with the brunette because, as much fun as this has been, she can tell she’s getting carried away with how lively the girl makes her feel, and knows it’s best if they take things slow ━ except for the fact that she still has no idea if Emily even looks at her in that type of way.

Emily watches her stand up and wants to protest her departure, wishing the blonde would sit back down and stay for the remainder of the night. She daydreams about keeping Alison here and watching TV with her in hopes of discovering her favorite shows, ordering food to see where her tastes lie, and talking about anything and everything so they can just… learn each other. 

The only thing to break Emily out of her imagination is Alison flirtatiously asking, “May I have your phone?”

“Um, sure,” the brunette feels the breath caught in her throat, reaching into her pocket and pulling out the device so she can slide it into the other girl’s hand.

Their fingertips brush, and Emily wonders if Alison did it intentionally because of the way her smirk becomes a shade more emphatic once she sees the brunette swallow hard and lick her lips, but she pushes the curiosity away. 

Looking up, Emily watches Alison’s thumbs glide across her screen at a determined rate, humming while she does whatever with the device. She stands up just as the girl finishes toying with her cell phone, only realizing what she did when Alison says, “I think you earned my number with your ten dollars.”

Emily looks at the device to see a new number programmed into her contacts list, and can’t help but grin again, “But not the fact that I’m a great listener and someone who makes you smile?”

She has no idea where the sudden bit of courage came from, but it couldn’t have graced her at a better time. 

Alison seems content with the suggestion, biting the tip of her tongue as if she’s emotionally melting where she stands, and the brunette is actually surprised to hear the girl admit, “Those are the other reasons, yes,” before pausing, blinking, and muttering, “especially that last one.”

With a sense of satisfaction and a tangible fluffiness to the random admission, the brunette lets her escape after ten seconds, moving closer to the point of Alison’s breath hitching, but only to open the door and let her exit.

Alison gives her another smile and passes over the threshold with a mild hesitation as if she’s thinking about something, Emily cutely asking, “Do you need me to walk you to your car?”

“I think I’ve got it,” she gets a smirk in return, the girl seemingly taking herself out of her own thoughts and making sure she has the power to leave. “Thanks.”

And, with that, Emily gives her a nod and watches her walk away until the girl is jogging down the stairs and opening the door to exit the building. She waits for a short period of time, simply leaning against her apartment door and shifting her jaw with an impending eye-roll because she can’t believe what  _ stupid  _ lines she decided to use on the blonde. Is this how liking someone feels? Is she  _ always  _ going to be this awkward?

She could groan at herself right now, and maybe she somewhat does, but her self-annoyance doesn’t last too long after closing the door and locking it behind her because, in her pocket, her phone is vibrating and she frowns. Her fingers grab for the device almost immediately, seeing that Spencer messaged something in the group chat between the two of them in addition to Hanna and Mona, hesitantly opening the text and feeling her mouth drop open at the words written:

_ “Emily Fields, did I just see Alison leaving your apartment?” _

The message ends in a string of emojis ━ ranging from smirks, to shocked smileys, to kissy faces ━ and Emily wholeheartedly groans when she sees Hanna typing not even a second later because she knows that the girl is about to latch onto the conversation with a death grip, all but falling backwards into the door so she can rest against it.

**H** ━ “WHO?!”

The brunette wants to march downstairs and fight Spencer since she realizes the girl’s likely on break, but instead only rubs her eye socket with a laugh coming out because, either way, there are going to be questions ━ and lots of them. Strangely enough, she’s kind of eager to confide in her friends, and it’s all because of Alison’s smile being ingrained into her memory and the girl’s number already calling her name; she wants to be able to get advice from those whom she trusts the most, hoping they’ll stop teasing her for one goddamn second in order to fully listen and provide necessary insight. This is way too new, the brunette mentally whines.

She chews her lower lip and leans her head further against the door, owning up to the realization that she hasn’t felt these kind of emotions for the longest time; there’s never been a serious contender in her life ━ no one that ever seemed willing to get to know her, at least ━ and she’s always kept to herself when it comes to her sometimes-solemn past. Today was surprising, in Emily’s mind, because she instantly began to ramble to Alison even though she was trying to be more mysterious than anything. The blonde’s openness was endearing, perhaps, and she wanted to match it as much as she could because she wants the girl to know she can be trusted. On the other hand, Alison ━ as an individual ━ certainly is different, and there’s just something about her that’s fascinating and powerfully tempting. It’s alarming but accepted, at the same time, and Emily is eager to learn more about her.

**M** ━ “Oh, shiiit.”

More smirking emojis follow Mona’s text, and Emily rolls her eyes with a sense of agreement visible in the way her lips part when she tilts her head back against the wooden barrier once again.

Oh, _ shit, _ indeed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhh, Emily.
> 
> Also, Spencer, pls… why are you like this? ━ also, don't stop being like this, thanks. Stir the pot. *insert many clapping emojis*
> 
> It looks like they're warming up to each other a whole lot. Excellent. I like to think they have a lot of chemistry together, even if they've only seen each other a few times in recent weeks. Like I said, they'll be trying to one-up each other in regards to flirting, and it'll move things along quickly ━ as it did, here.
> 
> So, the cat's out of the bag; Emily knows what's going on in Alison's life (well, the brunt of it), and, little by little with their relationship progressing, she'll learn even more, like how it came about (as of now, it's thought to be "conventional"), why she made that massive decision to have a child, what happened beforehand, how she's dealing with it, what it means to her, etc. You'll also hear more of Emily's story, as well, though hers is a tad less focused-on because the majority of her life revolves around her occupation. By the way, I find them opening up to each other, in this update, very telling when it comes to how their relationship will become something important, pretty quickly.
> 
> From the very beginning of this chapter (even in the first installation of this fic), Emily certainly made an impression on Alison. I mean, come on, she even got the poor girl buying a thank-you card. Alison knows it's "silly," or such a small gesture, but she figures it's a start, and that's a signal that she wants to make an effort. Again, I love her personality in this story since it's so fresh and positive in comparison to her usual "here or there" attitude, despite how "rocky" her life probably seems to outsiders. She's truly positive in a way that's genuine and raw, so I'm not trying to sugarcoat anything; she just knows how the world operates and, for years, has simply gone with it while making the best out of things.
> 
> Next chapter will bring us a night at Alison's apartment, similar to this chapter, and a few flashbacks that are pretty damn cute, if I do say so, myself. Additionally, it's kinda lengthy, if you're into those chapters. We'll be seeing them confide in one another, Alison trusting Emily even more by opening up further, and it'll set up for a much-needed chapter, after that ━ one which I'm sure a few of you theorizers are looking forward to.
> 
> Before we get there, we're going to have to let this one stew for a bit, and, within the next four days, I'll be back to show you another, Emison-packed update.
> 
> In the meantime, keep comin' at me on Tumblr ("capn-charlie"), and I'll keep answerin', or just drop a comment/review. Communication is key.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How's everybody doin' today?!
> 
> Honestly, I imagine getting dull, incoherent answers like at a school assembly because y'all want me to stop talking and just get to the good stuff.
> 
> Either way, I hope you answered something positive, but, if you didn't… I hope your day gets better ━ especially after this chapter since it's 8.7K of pure goodness and scattered background information (mostly on Alison's behalf).
> 
> I'll meet you at the bottom to discuss.

Blue, makeup-surrounded eyes stare into the bathroom mirror, up close and personal with her reflection as she checks and double-checks the appearance she sees. She squints at the image, almost like she’s trying to read herself even though the invisible waves can’t penetrate the surface in front of her. A sigh escapes her body once she leans back on the heels of her feet, still rubbing her glossed lips together and briefly touching the very tip of her pointer finger to her eyelid, making sure not to rub freshly applied eyeliner off with the subtle motion.

To an outsider, it looks like the girl’s trying to inaudibly convince herself that she’s confident, but her head continues to bow every now and then like she’s already looking into those infamous, brown eyes that she’s grown accustomed to over the course of the last five days ━ within that time existing a meet-up at a nearby park and another one being a cafe “date.” Of course, the two encounters had different vibes to them, primarily because one came only a day after they hung out at the brunette’s apartment while the next happened just yesterday. In between, they’ve texted constantly, almost staying up until three o’clock in the morning, one night (or morning, technically), resembling moonstruck teenagers who can’t get enough of each other ━ and maybe they can’t.

Alison remembers smiling constantly, blushing occasionally, and daydreaming about everything this budding relationship could mean. It’s clear that Emily has managed to bring out Alison’s playful side in a short period, the blonde formerly being a good time but also matured beyond her years ━ not to say that’s a bad thing. She could use a little fun in her life, admittedly, in the form of some kind of romantic relationship, and that’s because she never had it with Elliott ━ _ever_. It may sound bad, and Alison owns up to that ━ like she allowed this man to break her down into a simple, bland person ━ but, looking back, and in a weird light, she thanks him for how he transformed her, wholeheartedly being relieved that he pulled her from the “reckless” lifestyle she lead before. Okay, so maybe she wasn’t getting drunk and diving off stages each weekend, but she never had a solid, life plan, and that changed once she met him ━ for the better.

It became boring after a while, however, and Alison eventually realized that there _has_ to be a happy medium. She just always figured it’d be an internal thing rather than something ━ or _someone_ ━ she found.

It’s interesting, she thinks, to know that Emily has become high on her list of priorities and trust-zones. The brunette’s also become something mirroring a safety net, and it’s surprising, thrilling, and scary. There’s always a fine line when it comes to what’s too little and what’s too much in a fresh relationship, and Alison doesn’t know why she’s _this_ devoted to Emily in such a minute period of time, but something tells her to stop trying to, well, _stop_ it.

Something also tells her that Emily feels the same way.

One particular instance stands out in Alison’s mind, happening during the time they met up on Monday. She was feeling drowsy, nauseous, and snappy, but she had already told Emily that she wanted to hang out. Even though she knew the brunette wouldn’t hold it against her if she cancelled, Alison refused. They got together, as planned, and sat on a bench at the park while just looking at anything they could find. Alison remembers falling silent more times than she could count, and Emily noticed almost instantly.

_“You’re quiet today,” she says with more sympathy than fact, like she’s asking a question while hoping that it isn’t too invasive._

_“I know, I’m sorry.”_

_“You don’t have to be sorry,” her voice comes out audibly relaxed, turning more to face Alison who only side-eyes her, “but you_ do _have to tell me why. At least give me a vague reason.”_

_“I don’t feel well,” for whatever justification, her throat wants to tighten up and she feels like crying, Emily only giving her a slight nod before bowing her head._

_“Alison,” it’s begging for her attention, the blonde reluctantly facing her completely with features that are evidently hesitant in a way that makes her look small._

_Emily takes a breath, the world’s tiniest smile forming across her mouth, “Please tell me you didn’t force yourself out of the house just to see me.”_

_Blue eyes evade brown immediately, Alison wanting to blush at how she’s been caught red-handed. Emily, at the reaction, wants to groan, but instead lets out a small laugh._

_“You’re not satisfied with our texting conversations?” she chooses to tease, the blonde’s mouth curving into a silly smile._

_“They’re not the same.”_

_“I know what you mean,” Emily admits, “but you have to take care of yourself. You know I’d rather that.”_

_“But what about what I’d rather?” internally, she hopes she didn’t sound overly snappy, but she seals her lips once the words are out in the open because they didn’t exactly sound the most fluffy, either._

_“That’s valid, too,” the statement surprises the blonde although she doesn't show it. “How do you feel now?” her care stuns the girl further, this time making Alison’s lips part while she stares at the grass somewhere in the distance._

_“Gross, honestly,” a laugh comes with the confession, turning her head to look into curious eyes, “but I wanted to see you.”_

Emily’s smile will forever be branded into her memory, the brunette trying to hide it by looking away, humming, and nodding with a kind _“Feeling gross or not, you look good. I’m glad you kept our plans.”_

Alison surprised herself by reaching out for the brunette’s hand and gripping it in her own, not daring to entwine their fingers too soon. It felt so sensual, both girls detecting a weightlessness in the moment, surrounded by a serene park atmosphere with chirping birds, perfect, fall weather, and the sense of knowing they could relax together. It didn’t last forever, much to their distaste, and they parted ways with a short, spur-the-moment hug and a cute _“I’ll text you”_ on Alison’s side.

The following days included another string of fluffy messages and more “I want to get to know you” types of questions, also joined by an offer that made a morning-sickness-plagued Alison flash her phone screen a dopey grin while uncomfortably lying in bed: _“If you need anything, I can be there in less than two minutes.”_

**_A_ ** _━ “This is what I get for telling you where I live.”_

**_E_ ** _━ “Is that a complaint?”_

**_A_ ** _━ “It will be if you don’t really come here.”_

The blonde knew that, as soon as the girl got her text, she’d be out the door and jogging over, but the thought of Emily seeing her in such a disgusting state made her want to throw up another time, so she ultimately backtracked in hopes that it’d sound more intriguing than dismissive.

**_A_ ** _━ “But not today. I want to go out, instead.”_

The underlying invitation was accepted after five-or-so, toying messages, Emily and Alison settling on meeting up at a nearby, hole-in-the-wall cafe a block away from her apartment ━ and two from the brunette’s ━ around six o’clock in the evening. Alison had been to it once before, rather abruptly, but enjoyed the coffee she ordered. Luckily enough, she was able to grace her tastebuds with the same beverage, having planned her caffeine-intake accordingly since, that morning, she had been stuck in bed.

Most tables surrounding the small, high-ceiling shop displayed rustic-looking checkerboards and chess mats, being permanent fixtures on the pieces of furniture for customers to play while sitting around. It made Emily smile and squint her eyes when they darted to Alison, a silent challenge being shot in the blonde’s direction before she matched the expression and dared to sit down.

_“Favorite smell?” Emily asks nonchalantly, scoping out the checkerboard and which pieces she has left to move while Alison gets ready to take her turn, beforehand._

_“Um,” she scrunches her nose in a cute way, “what scent do you wear?” the question is shyly asked as her finger slides one of her pieces forward._

_The girl across from her laughs before her mouth remains partly opened, “Are you serious?”_

_“I honestly don’t care to deny it,” Alison matches the amusement although, yeah, she’s serious, eyebrows raised. “That’s probably how I’ll always remember meeting you at the pharmacy for the first time.”_

_During the explanation, Emily moves a piece closer to Alison’s._

_“Not because I gave you ten dollars and my trademark smile?” at first, she feels entertained by her own words, but decides to capitalize on them by flashing the grin again, the blonde rolling her eyes at the expression because it’s too adorable and she doesn’t want to reveal how butterfly-ish her stomach is feeling._

_“Mm,” the hum is negative, teasing, “I don’t think you realize how nice you smell.”_

_She jumps one of the brunette’s pieces, her opponent leaning closer to the board with a deep frown as Alison explains, “At first, I wasn’t sure if I was so drawn to it because my senses have been on overdrive ever since my hormones went to hell,” she makes a face, “but now I don’t really give a damn what the reason is.”_

_Emily smirks at her uncaring honesty and feels empowered by the confession, pausing before taking her turn. She stares at the board as her visible playfulness drains from her features, growing shy as she continuously peers at Alison without making complete eye contact when a blue gaze is staring back with patience._

_“Was I… flirting, that day?” the brunette finally asks, curious even though she already knows the━_

_“Oh, yeah,” Alison goes wide-eyed with the most emphatic, parted-lipped face, “definitely.”_

_“Really?” yikes, Emily internally thinks about how obvious it was._

_“Were you not trying to?” the brunette’s response catches her attention, Alison’s heart suddenly falling just barely because, all this time, she thought the girl had been trying to make herself known instead of inadvertently giving off that impression._

_“I… don’t know,” she moves her piece after a while of mental debating ━ both about the game and her choice of wording._

_“So,” Alison goes to hide her mild hurt but somewhat fails when her voice falls into a whisper, additionally avoiding Emily’s eyes, “you talk to everyone like that?”_

_“No,” it’s immediate and serious, not like she’s merely trying to comfort Alison. “I don’t know if I was trying to, but… looking back, I realize that I really_ was _flirting with you. Spencer not-so-casually pointed it out, a week later.”_

_“Would you change how you spoke to me?”_

_Once Emily finishes her turn, Alison takes her time and settles further into her seat, waiting for the brunette’s answer because, for reasons that must be obvious by now, it’s important ━ especially due to the nature of what their relationship is becoming._

_Emily’s eyes linger on hers, showing no struggle behind the color, and her mouth turns into a soft, comforting grin before whispering, “No,” with warm ━ definitely not forced ━ conviction._

_“Good.”_

_Alison feels herself getting lost in the atmosphere surrounding their table, looking at Emily who senses something pulling her in, as well. It’s not just one thing, however, particularly on Alison’s end; the blonde flashes back on the time following the first day they hung out at Emily’s house, in addition to their conversations after that, and she constantly feels herself breathing out with relief due to the brunette’s lack of straying ever since she was hit with that pregnancy bombshell. In all honesty, Alison figured Emily would only stick around for a day or two after that before fading off into the distance with texts here and there until entirely disappearing, but, now, it appears that she’s unfazed by the idea. Sometimes, Alison finds herself wanting to bring it up and ask, but realistically keeps her mouth shut because, well, why shouldn’t she be granted the concept of a healthy, normal relationship with someone just because she’s pregnant? ━_ especially _when that someone doesn’t seem to mind._

_Emily watches Alison begin to smile at her again, and, this time, it’s so captivating that she has to clear her throat and stop herself from looking so dorky. The blonde does the same and turns away with her tongue pressed to her inner cheek, Emily taking a sharp breath and asking, “Okay, favorite candy flavor?” while watching Alison finally move her piece once she remembers they’re still playing._

_“You already asked a question,” she says before taking a sip of her drink and raising her eyebrows in a silent lecture._

_“So did you,” Emily throws over the table, leaning forward. “You asked what scent I wear.”_

_“That wasn’t my question, though.”_

_“It was_ a _question, though,” her tone mocks the blonde’s, Alison giving her a look that’s only mirrored feature-by-feature._

_Without leaving more room for debate, Emily goes stone-faced while asking again, “Favorite candy flavor?”_

_Alison snickers quietly, “Why not ‘favorite candy’?”_

_“Because I don’t want a specific brand.”_

_“Why not?”_

_“Now look who’s answering questions with questions,” she moves her piece, jumping Alison twice with a confidence that’s radiant._

_At the move, Alison shifts her jaw and peers up to meet Emily’s eyes without lifting her chin, looking through her eyelashes in a way that visibly catches the brunette off-guard. The blonde watches her move in her seat a little bit without deterring too much, Alison finally smirking while replying, “Cherry,” with something that resembles seduction._

_Emily squints at both the tone and answer with a smug grin, an expression that basically says, “figures,” and, at the look, Alison tilts her head to the side with━_

Her eyes blink hard when she hears a knock at her apartment door, panic-mode striking her body instantly because she can’t remember what time it is, and her phone is still in the kitchen ━ just in front of the apartment’s entrance. She doesn’t know how long she’s been lost in thought, and, quite frankly, the forty minutes she had set aside to get ready could’ve entirely diminished while her eyes burnt into the mirror, but, either way, her hand hastily rubs at her baggy button-up while fingers quickly undo two or three buttons. A debate tosses back and forth within the walls of her mind, wondering if three buttons being undone is too much whereas two isn’t enough for the appearance she wants to convey, but another knock at her door comes, and, at the sound, her hands brush against her tight jeans to make sure they’re also tidy.

Before making whoever’s at her door even more impatient, Alison shuffles over to the barrier and opens it with a smile, the expression faltering a level when CeCe and Aria bound across the threshold with a pair of _hey_ ’s and nothing more. Alison looks into the hallway to make sure Emily isn’t coming with her friends here, knowing they’ll likely start poking at the girl with questions and parent-standard lectures. She doesn’t see anyone, and slides back into the apartment with a breath, wondering if she should be frank with the two and tell them that she already has plans, or━

Turning around, she’s already being assessed by her friends, both squinting their eyes with smug yet invasive grins that Alison wants to shy away from.

“What’s all… _this_?” CeCe is first to question her, gesturing to the girl’s outfit, usage of her favorite perfume, and nicely done hair.

“Um,” her lips seal before she makes a popping noise with her mouth, “Emily’s coming over.”

“Wait, the girl from the pharmacy?” the other blonde vaguely remembers her friend mentioning the girl a few days prior, still not thinking anything of it because she wasn’t granted many details, but, judging from Alison’s cheeky response to the question, apparently it’s worth digging into.

“You’re… this dressed up… for a girl,” it’s not a question, and it breaks repeatedly, CeCe trying to understand something she feels she’s missing whereas Alison takes it the wrong way with a frown.

“Yeah…”

CeCe turns to Aria, “Did I miss the whole… _sexuality_ talk, or…?”

“I don’t think there was one,” while Aria answers the taller blonde, her eyes are staring at Alison with an additional question.

Alison feels like a bug under a microscope, her shoulders tightening up as her friends study her. She crosses her arms in defense, wanting to look away but not having the strength to turn her head to the side because, quite frankly, she feels like she’s being judged and it’s making her want to snap ━ so she does.

“What?” her eyes pierce into the two in front of her, Aria picking up on it but not being able to cut in before CeCe speaks.

“Hello!” she looks severely perplexed. “Emily. _Girl_. Not a guy,” the words come in fragments. “There’s a difference.”

“I’m missing the point where it matters,” Alison snaps fully, defense on the rise as CeCe finally detects how negatively she’s reacting.

“Woah, hey,” the older girl puts her hands out in a form of defense, “we’re not judging. You know my past━”

“Past or not, you’re insinuating a whole lot,” her voice cracks. “What, do you think it’s just a result of my hormones? Pregnancy’s making me gay now?”

CeCe pleads with a disbelieving laugh, “Ali, come on. We’re just trying to ask what’s going on in your head.”

She sees the other blonde relax slightly, continuing, “You never _once_ spoke about any girl this way, nor have you dressed up for one. You know we’ll love you no matter what, but it’s still something that we want to be aware of.”

“When you’re ready,” Aria adds once there’s an opening in the conversation, nodding in Alison’s direction.

The girl looks like she’s deflating from the sudden burst of irritation, taking a breath and shifting her jaw hard, “I’m sorry. I’m just… kinda stressed.”

“Kinda?” the brunette tilts her head to the side.

“And hormonal,” CeCe mumbles, getting elbowed in the ribs.

“Look, I haven’t even thought about what this means. What _any_ of it means,” Alison exhales with wide eyes, glancing down at her own outfit once her arms slump at her sides. “Hell, I was _engaged_ to someone just over a month ago, so I’m not sure why I feel so… _attached_ to her,” for a moment, it appears as though she’s searching for the answer along the northernmost wall of her apartment, shaking her head, “especially because I haven’t been in the mood for _anything_ romantic, in weeks.”

Her eyes roll partly, “I haven’t even wanted to _hug_ anyone, but then she came along, and…”

“Are you worried it’s too soon?” Aria stares at her with sympathy yet a drive to understand, Alison only shrugging in response because, really, she has no idea.

“You don’t plan for these kinds of things, babe,” CeCe gives insight. “Shit happens,” it turns blunt, but Alison wouldn’t want it any other way. “Just promise me you’ll think things through before making a move.”

The other blonde lifts her eyes to meet CeCe’s, then they drift to Aria’s to see if they’re all on the same page.

“We don’t know this girl, but I’d hate to see her think that she’s the rebound,” the taller girl finishes.

“I’m over Elliott,” her voice is solid.

“ _We_ know that, but does she?” Aria makes a face.

“I told her.”

“Actions speak louder than words,” a finger is pointed in her direction. “Remember that.”

The reminder strikes Alison even though it’s pretty straightforward; she knew she’d have to put her words to the test, sometime, and capitalize on them by making some kind of move, but the thought of it is terrifying. What if she can’t do it? What if it’s this far-away concept and, as a result, she loses her chance with Emily for being too hesitant?

No, she thinks; Emily is way too patient with her, and that’s been obvious throughout the time they’ve known each other. Ever since the very beginning, the brunette has dealt with her perfectly, both handling her carefully and letting her bold personality come out to play. They mix well together, certainly, and the thought of that ━ _alone_ ━ makes Alison want to take a risk and just… try something new. Maybe it is possible, and maybe she _can_ do it.

She almost forgets she’s standing in the living room with her friends lingering, lifting her eyes to focus on the pair in front of her. They’re both watching her get sucked into her own imagination with their arms crossed in a smug nature, knowing what’s happening and how content she looks. It’s endearing, they decide, and continue to stare at her with Alison finally, carefully shrinking back.

“What?”

“You’re glowing,” Aria smiles hard, and, when she’s put on display, Alison looks to CeCe for help due to the brunette’s overall, gushy persona.

“Don’t look at me,” her response is quick. “She’s actually right, this time. _This time_ ,” she turns to Aria with wide eyes and a finger-point.

She looks at Alison again without missing a beat, squinting and reading her with a slow-spoken “I’m just curious to know if it’s because of the pregnancy, or because you like Emily.”

They’re both smiling like idiots before she can even blink, Alison going to open her mouth in order to perhaps diffuse her own nerves and shyness, but she doesn’t get the chance when there’s a knock at the door and her head is turning toward the source of the sound. Her heart sinks, more so because she side-eyes where her friends stand while knowing that they’re far past excited to meet Emily whereas she’s feeling unbelievably uneasy about the impending, “meet the best friends” confrontation. Quite frankly, she wouldn’t be surprised if her morning sickness decided to make a nighttime appearance right here and now, but her mouth opens to take in a large breath before anything disgusting can work its way into her system.

With a final glance over her shoulder to look at her friends who wave because they know how much she’d like to groan out of discontentedness, Alison shuffles over to the door and opens it, easily letting Emily inside with a smile and a flirtatious yet short “Hey.”

At first, the brunette doesn’t notice the girl’s friends lingering in the background while watching their interaction like a pair of hawks, and her eyes stay locked with Alison’s for what feels like forever before being able to tear them away and glance past her. On sight, her lips part and posture slightly stiffens, almost like a kid being caught doing something wrong. She knows they’re likely Alison’s friends ━ important people in the girl’s life ━ and, automatically, her mouth turns into a forced smile that she hopes doesn’t look too constructed.

Emily is at a loss for words, not knowing if she should introduce herself, or what, however, before she makes the decision to do _anything_ , Alison steps forward and says, “Emily, these are my friends, CeCe and Aria,” without the brunette knowing who is who when it comes out rushed, in one breath.

“This is Emily,” she gestures to the girl somewhat behind her, “and, now that you’ve met her,” it comes with a fake politeness toward her friends, getting out a semi-pleading, “I know you have somewhere to be.”

“We do?” CeCe puts on a conniving smile.

“We do,” Aria nods, grabbing the girl’s hand and tugging her toward the door.

While they’re on their way to exit the apartment, passing Emily who begins to look around and Alison who makes sure they successfully leave before she can lock the door, CeCe pulls back and whispers in the other blonde’s ear, “I could kick your ass right now.”

“But you won’t,” Alison dares, not looking at her friend.

“Just give me nine months.”

With that, CeCe is pulled through the door, and Alison latches it behind them, sliding the lock into place before giving her outfit a recheck while Emily, somewhere further into the room, assesses her surroundings since she hadn’t visited prior. The blonde can smell the noticeable combination of her own, faint perfume with the brunette’s natural aroma, now realizing that she’ll have to change her answer from the cafe because, fuck, this is way better. A perfect mix, she muses while turning around to see Emily keeping an admirable grin on her face, taking everything in.

She’s wearing a button-up of her own ━ hers plaid while Alison’s is a solid grey ━ and her jeans are ripped at the knees, hair falling perfectly like it has in every other instance they’ve seen each other. If the blonde wasn’t so attracted to the sight, she’d probably feel jealous, mostly because she can get so nitpicky when it comes to her own hair and it gets obnoxious. She likes to think she looks nice tonight, though, and hopes Emily’s view is the same.

With a breath, Alison moves a few more steps into the room, claiming, “It’s kinda empty, right now. I just moved in recently.”

Emily gets startled by her voice but doesn’t show it all that much, only turning to see Alison’s eyes roaming around the room as if she’s studying it, just as much. The brunette nods absentmindedly, admitting that it’s sort of barren but doesn’t lack character of any kind; it’s cozy and inviting ━ something she could get used to, in all honesty.

The other girl explains deeper, “After everything happened with Elliott, I got out of our joint apartment as fast as I could without my things. CeCe’s been helping me out by transferring my stuff here,” her voice falls quiet, pursing her lips.

Emily squints one eye, “CeCe is…?”

“The taller one.”

“Oh,” she raises her eyebrows, at first leaving her response at that, but, soon enough, feeling her mouth tugging into a smirk while facing Alison. “Does she always glare at people you like?”

Alison’s mouth drops open to oppose Emily’s deepening, smug grin, the blonde formerly not realizing that the girl had been standing outside her door for an extended amount of time, probably drumming up her own artillery of confidence. She wants to cover up her blushing cheeks but can’t, her skin warming up quickly as her teeth clasp onto her lower lip in hopes that she can at least control herself in a refusal to smile and admit to what Emily accused her of.

In the end, Emily decides against poking at her too much since she just arrived, taking a breath and walking around the room with a subject-changing “And the other was Aria?”

“Yes,” Alison nods, but mentally thanks her for the reprieve even though her voice still comes out hoarse, having to praise her again for not pointing it out.

“She looks familiar,” her eyes squint but she doesn’t linger on it ━ actually, she doesn’t have time to.

“So does your friend Spencer.”

Emily makes a face without looking toward Alison who knows she turned the tables when it comes to teasing ━ much like always ━ and she approaches one of the east-walled windows, looking out and watching people shuffle along the sidewalk below. Lifting her eyes, she searches the surrounding buildings while listening to Alison’s footsteps approaching at a slow rate, her focus soon landing upon the beginning of her street.

“I can almost see my apartment from here,” she nearly pushes her face against the glass to see her bedroom window, however she’s off by ten or so feet when it comes to the angle.

“Actually, your apartment is in clear view from my bedroom window,” Alison wants to laugh at her own discovery, having been staring through the glass in deep thought during the night when they couldn’t stop texting each other, randomly realizing that her eyes were focused upon the brick of the brunette’s building.

She brings Emily into her bedroom without hesitation, standing at the door while the girl passes and follows her pointed finger. Emily walks up to the window, and Alison stands behind her, not caring enough to stop herself from checking the brunette out with raised eyebrows and a face that would absolutely portray guilt if the girl actually turned around.

“All you need is a pair of binoculars,” there’s clear enthusiasm in her mused statement.

“Who says I didn’t hide them before you came over?”

“I knew you were spying. Good to know I’m not the only one who’s peeping,” Emily turns around with a solid smirk, and Alison’s playfulness begins to drain with embarrassment replacing it in one, swift motion, soon being matched by the brunette who looks caught.

“Wait, you seriously watch me?”

The question only makes Emily stare at her without moving to answer or even defend herself with a squeaky voice and wide eyes, but the smirk from moments ago gradually reappears, and Alison laughs while shaking her head.

“That’s not funny,” she says through the same laugh. “I usually look disgusting when I’m walking around the house. I wouldn’t want _anyone_ to see that.”

“I’d love to see that,” it’s honest and sweet, Emily tilting her head to the side with a gentle tone that makes Alison want to seal both of their lips in an abruptness, but the blonde only pushes the conversation into their normal playfulness.

“I bet you would.”

It doesn’t make the desire to kiss Emily lessen by much ━ or any ━ and Alison finds herself trying to refocus on those brown eyes with a huge amount of difficulty. She just wants to lean in and kiss her like she’s felt compelled to do for days because she can see how much Emily wants the same with her eyes doing an identical, struggling dance, and maybe Alison _does_ take a small step forward, but her “almost” action is cut short when nervousness gets the best of her to the point of needing to break the silence.

“Want to order some food?”

Emily continues to stare but nods in understanding and patience with a comforting smile, whispering, “Sure,” as Alison walks away with a determined attitude, her next statement informative.

“I’m paying, this time. I owe you.”

With a round of reluctance and a sigh, Alison hears an accepting “I’ll let you pay for ten dollars’ worth,” ultimately smirking and rolling her eyes.

 

X X X

 

“They didn’t say I’m completely infertile,” Alison shrugs as the two lounge along the couch cushions, her legs stretched out while Emily is tucked into the corner of the piece of furniture ━ albeit comfortably.

She explains, “There was still a chance of me becoming pregnant through the ‘conventional way,’” her nose scrunches up while her eyes drift off to the side of the room, “but not a big one, so we didn’t bother trying again, especially because Elliott was _also_ a weak contribution. We just didn’t see the point, so we chose two, perfect strangers.”

Her reasoning invites silence, Emily consistently taking her time to let everything sink in. Over the course of the past few hours, the pair have gotten closer and developed a greater bond through eating delivered food, tossing random opinions back and forth, and, the biggest stunner of them all, Alison’s confession of how she became pregnant.

They were speaking comfortably, more so from Alison’s viewpoint because, like always, Emily’s been impeccably patient and attentive, just barely tilting her head to the side and staring at the blonde while she spoke, vented, or rambled about whatever’s stuck her mind within the past few days ━ even things they’ve already discussed via text message. One time, however, brown eyes were studying her with such impact and desire to learn, that Alison just… _melted_. She stopped herself in the middle of a random story revolving around her friendship with CeCe and Aria, and her voice began to slow down with Emily straightening her back out in concern.

_“What’s wrong?”_

_Alison’s features go from what looked to be worry to a faint smile that instantly relieves Emily, the brunette relaxing into the couch again with a grin that expresses, “don’t scare me like that.” In turn, the blonde bites the corner of her lip, and, for whatever reason, she wants to crawl across the couch to kiss Emily time and time again ━ like she’s found herself drawn to for the majority of the night ━ but her body sticks against the cushion as if she’s velcroed._

_Replacing the drive to get to know Emily on a physical basis, Alison’s heart begins to beat faster through a form of nervousness and decision, suddenly wanting to erase her mindset of “why can’t I have a normal relationship without the mention of pregnancy?” Maybe this is something that’ll make their relationship ━ or what she hopes will be one ━ unique._

_“Can I tell you something?”_

_“Of course,” Emily is quick to respond, shifting her body against the cushion and straightening her back out so her elbows are pressed into the jean material just above her knees._

_Alison studies her features and how she’s much closer than before, their faces now two feet away and, God, it’s distracting. She looks down, however, and swallows hard, hoping to regather her confidence from moments ago._

_“My pregnancy wasn’t an accident,” the blonde whispers, knowing it’s not the best opener ━ especially because, right away, Emily’s forehead creases._

_“I… didn’t think it was,” for whatever reason, the girl sounds defensive, and Alison wants to laugh at her own stupidity._

_“No, I know,” Alison makes sure to ease Emily’s worries, not wanting her to think she’s saying it out of irritation of any kind. “I just mean… it was way more thought out than you know.”_

_No response._

_“As in… the process took about six weeks.”_

After that, brown eyes widened in realization, followed by her body slumping a fraction as she put two and two together. Alison felt herself breathe out once the confession was in the air, but she could tell that Emily was having a hard time putting together a timeline, so she explained further while answering the girl’s questions ━ something she’s happy to do.

She hears Emily suck in an abrupt breath, having been staring at the cushion between them for an extended amount of time, and her head starts to slowly shake back and forth with eyes narrowing. Her chin never lifts, however, and Emily remains burning a hole through the fabric separating their bodies.

“Why would he even consent to it if he was cheating?” the question comes out with a sense of disbelief and annoyance with the man, Alison only partly wanting to agree. “He must’ve known he’d get caught sometime,” she rants. “Who does that?”

“I honestly don’t care to get into his head and figure out what he was thinking,” her response is almost robotic, the words lacking emotion, and, as a result, Emily feels as though she struck a cord so, in the short period of silence, she decides to tweak the subject a hair.

“And you didn’t want to just adopt?”

“We thought about it,” the blonde subtly moves her head back and forth, only lasting a second or two. “Oddly enough, I wanted to experience pregnancy. I figured I’d have someone by my side for it, so it wasn’t all that scary, but…” the sentence finishes by fading out, Alison making a popping noise with her mouth while Emily hesitantly peers at her through a shy focus.

“You have me,” she offers, sounding hopeful with a side of pleading because she wishes she could put so much more on the table, but is afraid it’s way too soon ━ she _knows_ it’s too soon.

“I appreciate that,” likewise, Alison wants to say more and tease Emily by asking what she means, hoping to extract a more-solid answer this early within whatever’s going on between them, but settles on a kind smile and blinking eyelashes that make her look past adorable, from the brunette’s view.

Emily matches the smile but quickly gets lost in her thoughts, shaking her head again and taking yet another sharp breath with raised eyebrows.

“I’m sorry. I’m not judging you, but I’m just…” she makes a “wow” face at the whole situation and how it came about. “You weren’t even married before agreeing to…” her voice trails off, confused with her forehead creased, not knowing how someone without a rock-solid relationship would want to take a huge risk with both finances and their body ━ especially in the form of a somewhat-lengthy procedure.

She thinks back to when she got the “egg-extraction” process done weeks upon weeks ago, and how nervous she had felt even though her decision was final. For an extended period of time before it actually happened, she had argued with her parents who didn’t understand why she’d do it. Their excuse was that she didn’t need the money, and who knows if she’d be happy with her decision after it was done; _“Once they’re gone, you can’t get them back.”_ Emily fought on her own behalf, however, vocally debating with them and stressing how happy she was to feel like she was useful. At that, they wondered if she had begun to feel neglected or misplaced once more, like when she was a young kid in school, but she shook her head at the idea; _“I just want to feel like I helped someone, okay? The league is great, and helping those kids… it means the world. I need to do this, though, and I already made my first appointment.”_

Eventually, her parents accepted the decision and offered their support, earning a smile from Emily who understood their positioning, in the end.

The process was tough, more so because she didn’t feel herself for what seemed like months, and it grew to be nerve-wracking. Suddenly, she had no idea what she was doing or how things would work out, after everything was said and done, but she was honorably taken care of by the clinic (with Hanna by her side), and even departed her final appointment with a sweet card from the couple she was anonymously paired with.

Either way, it was strenuous in both a personal and environmental aspect, putting a small strain on her relationship with her parents, calling for great support from her friends, and giving her a sense of exhaustion in various ways, shapes, and forms. Looking back, she doesn’t regret it, but pregnancy is a whole different ballpark, so she wonders how Alison feels now that she’s on her own ━ in a way.

Mere seconds pass before Alison smiles sadly, “Not my brightest idea, huh?”

Emily raises her eyebrows again, wanting to laugh at her own, same expression.

“As surprising as it may sound, I don’t think I’d take it back or redo anything.”

Emily wonders if Alison had been looking into her mind, the girl obviously answering her internal questions before they’d even been asked. It’s shocking, though, and the brunette hopes she didn’t appear as taken aback as she felt. Despite her desire to look relaxed and accepting of the girl’s words, she still has so many, different wonders, primarily because the story is incredible, and Alison’s ability to keep herself so afloat is even more unbelievable.

“You’re so young,” Emily finally muses, kinda wide-eyed and talking more so to herself.

“Really? My aching limbs don’t seem to agree.”

“I just mean that… I don’t know,” she wishes she could sort out her thoughts more easily. “Twenty-three is young to me. Most people our age tend to be off traveling, still finding themselves, fucking up, or… all three at once,” a laugh comes out with the few, final words, looking at Alison. “I know _I’m_ not like that, but that’s _never_ been me. Not that I know what your self-history looks like, but…” she jumps to defend her explanation and soft accusation, hoping she didn’t pry too much.

“Yeah,” Alison bows her head, not irritated but thinking. “It’s weird, if I’m being honest with you. How I look at things, I mean. I used to be senseless and unmoved when discussing things that’ll impact my future. I never really cared until I met Elliott,” a shrug bunches and slouches her shoulders. “My relationship with him was… _detailed_ , to say the least. He domesticated me. Not in a bad way, I guess, but almost as if his presence chained me to the floor so I wouldn’t have my head in the clouds anymore,” her gaze floats upward to see the brunette quirking an eyebrow.

“Are you _sure_ that’s not in a bad way?” Emily jokes.

“It sounds horrible, doesn’t it?” it comes matched with a laugh. “I think, for me, being brought back down to Earth was freeing, kind of. It gave me an identity, and made me dream about realistic things that matter, at the end of the day.”

Alison squints for a moment, thinking again, “Don’t get me wrong, I love to think about things that make me feel weightless, but being human is important to me. For so long, I was someone who had no set plan or goals, and then, suddenly, I did,” it ends with a smile, staring into Emily’s eyes. “I wanted a life with someone who cared for me━or, well, who I _thought_ cared for me━and that included a solid job, a quiet home, and a family to call my own.”

Emily nods, but not much, wondering what the girl wants now.

“My mom and dad’s marriage turned shaky, at one point. It was never great, to begin with, but there was one specifically rough patch,” Alison trails the conversation off, with a purpose. “It got so bad that my dad went away for two weeks, and, although I wasn’t living there when it happened, it affected all of us. My brother, Jason, included,” she pauses. “My mom knew it put us all in tough spot, so, one day, she called me to go for lunch, and she made me promise that I’d always put myself first. She didn’t want my relationship to end up like theirs, even if it’s relatively better now.”

She takes a breath, digging deep, “I think maybe that’s another reason why I’m so accepting of what happened between Elliott and I,” her tongue presses to her inner cheek. “I know I never needed his negativity, and I’m happy he’s not going to be around this baby because I don’t want him bringing that energy around him or her, either.”

For a second or two, Alison’s eyes study Emily’s features, a smile breaking through her former, serious attitude, “And, honestly, I’m happy you won’t have to meet him.”

The other girl raises her eyebrows in agreement, afterwards having a shaky focus move to Alison again.

“And you don’t regret anything?” she doesn’t sound judgmental, but curious.

“I regret not picking up on the fact that Elliott cheated on me repeatedly…” Alison admits, “with girls who are a _fraction_ of his age. I also regret wasting time with him, even if it made me into who I am today. I can’t help but feel like I would’ve gotten here, anyway, without the bullshit he brought into my life at the tail end of our short engagement.”

Emily waits for more, seeing Alison open her mouth as if she’s not finished.

“I’ll never regret this child, though,” she smiles warmly. “Young or not, single or not… I love this baby. I love feeling like I’m already worth something to someone who’s just starting out and hasn’t seen the outside world yet,” her eyes drift down to the space between them. “I feel connected to him or her, and that’s… incredible. Even if no one else cares to know who I am, this child will.”

Her smile is matched in an instant, although it’s way more admirable than sheepish like Alison’s. The blonde lifts her chin to see a sparkle in the girl’s eyes, not feeling deterred from opening herself up because the look on Emily’s face reminds her of home ━ maybe not this apartment, nor anywhere she’s been before, but a place she’d love to stay.

“I did this for me,” Alison mutters through a grin that’s faded, Emily not stopping the adoration from taking over her features. “Responsibility and all,” the following smile is reserved and short-lived, waiting for a response.

“You deserve it,” Emily eventually whispers.

“Thank you,” her gentle tone is mimicked, the blonde having to swallow the lump in her throat because the air is turning thicker so quickly, threatening to suffocate her with warmth and sweetness.

“For what it’s worth…” kind, brown eyes trail away through shyness, “I care to know who you are.”

Likewise, Emily feels her throat beginning to tighten when all she wants to do is pull Alison forward so they can capitalize on what’s been transpiring between them, trying to push the image away repeatedly because she’s determined to go at the blonde’s pace. She watches the girl bite her lower lip, however, with cheeks tinted a light shade of red, and Emily’s heart skips a beat at the sight without knowing if Alison is intentionally torturing her, or if she’s really just as smitten.

Something churns in Alison’s stomach, becoming a mix of desire to kiss the girl softly before wanting to kick it up a notch and just… fall with her ━ no matter where it would bring them. She thinks back on her conversation with CeCe and Aria, and how she explained how different she’s felt around Emily in regards to physical advances. Her words hold so much truth, really; Alison hadn’t felt the same as she did before everything with Elliott went to shit ━ even a while before that ━ and her tendency to want physical comfort diminished without reappearing, but Emily changed that. The two hugs they shared, albeit short, lingered while making Alison want more; her body wanted to collapse into Emily’s and stay like that for the remainder of the day, just breathing in her scent and feeling the fabric of the girl’s shirt against her skin. Even before that, on the first day they actually hung out at the brunette’s apartment, she caught her eyes flickering to Emily’s mouth repeatedly ━ just like they are now ━ in some sort of magnetic pull. She could’ve kissed her, right then and there, if they hadn’t been in the beginning stages of getting to know each other.

But what’s stopping her now? Nothing, that’s what.

Alison licks her lips and is about to make some sort of move with a makeshift wave of confidence, but it flatlines when Emily takes a breath and turns to the clock.

“It’s getting late,” she semi-pouts at the thought of having to leave. “I should go.”

“Do you have to?”

Emily only smiles with a breathy laugh coming forward, pushing herself off the cushion and stretching where she stands. From her sitting position, Alison glances in Emily’s direction and notices a patch of skin growing exposed during the girl’s stretch, forcing herself to look away while clearing her throat before becoming level with her guest.

The girl doesn’t look back as they walk over to the door, Emily absentmindedly saying, “Thanks for dinner and your company,” once she’s stationed in front of the barrier with it creaked open.

She turns to Alison who has a mental, panicked situation causing her thoughts to be completely overrun, almost missing what Emily says because she’s too busy debating on whether or not she should force herself into making a move before the brunette leaves.

“Of course,” she manages to grasp onto the appreciation, flashing her a grin before falling silent, biting her inner cheek, and making at least a small advancement. “I want to see you again. Soon.”

The final word gets a happy, cheeky nod from Emily, “As soon as you’d like.”

“Tomorrow night, at your place?” it sounds more enticing than innocent, evidently flirtatious.

“I look forward to it,” her tone is matched.

Next to the creaked-open door, their bodies are separated by a foot of space, Alison’s posture visibly conflicted with her eyes repeatedly trying to keep focused even though, at the same time, she wants to let herself go. She wants to do _something_ , at least, and Emily can tell from where she stands. Like always, however, she won’t push the girl into doing anything she’s not ready for, despite her intense desire to feel soft lips against hers. Her eyes plead for it, actually, and she doesn’t bother trying to stop herself from looking so wanting yet understanding ━ also distracting, if you were to ask the blonde.

Finally, after another round of internal frustration, Alison makes a move ━ not to say it’s the one she wanted to follow through on ━ and takes a step closer so she all but tumbles into Emily’s arms which wrap around her instantly, holding her safely.

The brunette accepts the embrace with a smile and loving demeanor, the girl’s warmth being engulfed in the space against her torso, and she feels Alison nudge her cheek to push closer into the crook of her neck. Alison inhales and Emily gets out a soft laugh, not knowing if her body spray is being admired like usual, or if the girl is just overly content. She feels a smile against her neck, however, before Alison hesitates and begrudgingly pulls back ━ but not too far.

Blue eyes stare at her, inches away, and, this time, Emily is the one being drawn toward the idea of making a move. The tip of her tongue drags against her own bottom lip during the course of her thoughtful, internal discussion, wondering if she should initiate because, fuck, Alison won’t stop looking at her like now _she’s_ the one begging for something to be done. It’s become way too heavy to ignore, and her breathing slows down, eyes lidded because they’re so close ━ until, suddenly yet slowly, that little distance is being erased.

Alison loosely tangles their fingers between their bodies as a result of their recently broken hug, convincing herself to take a chance and lean forward. Emily does the same, shuffling as close as she can without seeming all too eager, and, hesitation finally lacking, their noses brush past one another with intent to seal the gap completely.

In the small cluster of seconds between their latest, full eye contact through distracted focuses, and the moment when their lips touched for the very first time, Emily caught the remnants of a timid yet wanting smile on Alison’s face, just before her eyes closed and their fingers clasped together more.

Emily feels a softness against her mouth, and a sigh bubbles in her throat without coming out, Alison’s lips capturing hers with a sweetness that’s nearly tasted, and it lingers by sticking to her smooth skin once three seconds pass. She wants to focus on the blonde in front of her, wondering what she’s going to see when they’re looking into each other’s eyes again ━ hopefully positive responses ━ but, before she can manage to merely glimpse at Alison’s expression, the girl connects their lips again.

This time, there’s more pressure and heated tension, their mouths adjusting a time or two in order to get more of each other in the new embrace, and Alison’s hands gingerly slide toward Emily’s wrists to hold herself up when her body wants to collapse forward. They get lost in one another, overly satisfied with the pace they’re going at while wanting to push further and feel every aspect of each other’s embodiment.

Before they can get too carried away, realistically, Alison pulls back with a smile that Emily gradually mirrors with an easiness. Unlike the blonde, however, the girl almost pressed against the door looks completely done-for ━ a sight that makes Alison smirk with a knowingness before her bottom lip is trapped between her teeth. The expression brings out the blonde’s dimples, and Emily beams while shaking her head once she’s brought back down to Earth by a giggle as a result of her dumbfounded, too-far-gone attitude.

Without saying anything because, truly, she doesn’t trust her voice right now, Emily backs up and opens the door further, standing on the very edge of the threshold to look at Alison one last time.

“I’ll text you,” Alison promises with a whisper when she can tell that Emily doesn’t want to leave, ultimately getting a nod from the girl who, after another look-over, childishly smiles and walks away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank goodness, they've finally gotten rid of some tension. I'm not sure we would've made it through another couch-ridden, deep conversation without groaning over how no one felt the drive to make the first move.
> 
> Anyway, there were some subtle reveals in this, like Alison's clean-cut explanation of her pregnancy, and a small taste of why she's so involved with her baby ━ I use the word "involved" meaning that she's not angry at how she's "on her own," etc. Basically, all her life, she's wanted to feel important and like she has a strong love with someone (not necessarily a significant other, but in a family sense), and I, personally, enjoy seeing her hold so much love for this baby because it opposes the majority of other baby stories that use the basis of an "accidental" pregnancy. In this, she wants a child for her own benefit (and, like her friends theorized, she may have used her relationship with Elliott more so to her advantage to make her own family with or without him), thinking this is where she's supposed to be in life, and she's happy about it (plus ready) ━ despite Elliott leaving (not that it damaged her too much), and everything else that could be deemed "negative." We'll dive further into that, and Alison will open herself up to Emily even more so within one of my favorite future chapters, so you'll see why she's dedicated to being what most people (sometimes including myself) would call "domesticated." Her former family-life plays a huge role in that, as you've read a small portion of how Alison's parents have a shaky relationship, and it'll make a lot of sense because it's actually very common, and often times sad.
> 
> So, what about Elliott? Like I said, and I very much promise, Alison doesn't hold love for him, and she really doesn't care what happens to him, but, in a way, she does admire how he altered her old mindset into that of maturity. What he did in recent weeks (the cheating, obviously, and going after minors) is inexcusable, but he did help her, in some light, and that gave her a sense of groundedness ━ I think that's a word; it gave her an identity, and something to work towards.
> 
> Side note: Hello, CeCe and Aria. There was a small bit of friction between CeCe and Alison here, but, trust me, their friendship is super sturdy even though they can occasionally bite at each other. Like most of my stories when they're put in the same group, CeCe acts as an older sister, of sorts, and it sometimes grinds on Alison's nerves when she's reluctant to be upfront with herself/everyone else. Aria will act as a happy medium, and we'll see these three have a few important conversations to move the plot along, as well as one-on-one discussions between Alison/CeCe, and Alison/Aria.
> 
> Obviously, more puzzle pieces are falling together when we read some of Emily's thoughts ━ not that Alison heard any of them, duh ━ and I'm sure some theories are gradually being confirmed. Good. That was intended. Mystery or unknowingness isn't the focal-point of this story, and every card will be placed on the table, quite soon.
> 
> I've recently finished writing chapter eighteen (well, I have to polish it up a bit), meaning that I'm nearly done scraping my brain for extra ounces of fluff and endearment. That's good news for you, if you like quick updates; once I'm finished writing the entire fic, I'll be able to revise, revise, revise, and hopefully chapters will come with lessened breaks, in-between.
> 
> Until that happens… I'll be back in another four days to provide a chapter that'll tilt the ice a bit ━ don't mind my hockey analogies; if it wasn't clear, just note the phrase: "And so the plot thickens…"
> 
> Be good while I'm hibernating for a few days, friends. Love you.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The deliciousness has arrived.
> 
> And the update, of course.
> 
> I know I keep saying it (and I also know that I keep saying "I know I keep saying it"), but I'm extremely relieved that y'all seem to enjoy this story. Like I've been expressing, it's one of my lighter fics, and it's very opposite of my other stories where there's a massive amount of angst and drama ━ which a lot of us enjoy, even if we need a reprieve sometimes ━ but I think it still has a ton of things to offer like that necessary fluff, overall Emison enjoyment, and scattered lessons in the midst of character growth. I'm nearly finished with writing chapter nineteen, and there's a lot of content waiting for you guys.
> 
> Just like there's a good chunk of content waiting below.
> 
> Go ahead.

Her elbow attempts to dig into the hard material of her countertop, hunched over the cabinets with her cell phone pressed to her ear. On the other line, her father incoherently talks to himself about the playbook for next week’s scrimmage, Emily trying to grasp onto the conversation with the little attention span she’s been able to muster up. She fails, of course, because her mind is too preoccupied with thinking about the girl she’s going to be seeing sometime tonight. A smile has graced her features repeatedly, catching herself whenever her dad begins to speak louder, and, in turn, the heel of her free hand presses against her forehead as if to say, “focus.”

It’s still no use, Emily thinks, but she clears her throat, anyway, in hopes her father realizes that he’s been rambling on for about ten minutes now.

_“Do you…”_ she hears a paper flip on the other line, _“happen to have the chart we used for yesterday’s practice?”_

“Oh,” her back straightens out when realizing that, yeah, she took it, but her mind was also occupied during the prior day’s practice, too, “yeah, actually. Let me just…” her hands fumble to find the correct drawer, opening one and seeing cluttered, miscellaneous things such as tape and a stapler within before closing it.

Shifting a space to the left, she makes a strange, humming noise while sliding the drawer open, rummaging through its contents and pulling out a packet of papers topped with yesterday’s chart. The staple of the bundle gets caught on something below, not having the time or patience to deal with separating them while her father chuckles on the other line once he hears her grunt in discontent. With an irritated, swift motion, she gets a handle on the three or so, clipped papers, and pulls them out of the drawer with something falling onto the floor, not caring to look before tossing what she needs onto the counter.

“Okay, let’s see…” Emily speaks through an exhale. “What do you want to know, again?”

_“Have you been listening to anything I’ve said?”_ it’s more so knowing and accepting than upset, Emily hanging her head partly and groaning.

“Dad, it’s almost…” she cranes her neck to see what time it is on the nearby wall-clock, “five o’clock on a Saturday, I haven’t eaten yet, and I need to shower.”

_“I’ll take that as a no.”_

“Really,” she fixes her posture, arm out in a confused manner even though he can’t see what she’s doing, “what am I looking for on this?”

_“I need to know who we’re_ not _putting in, this week, because of their injury. I’m drawing a blank.”_

“Max,” her answer is abrupt. “That’s all I needed this thing for?” she pushes the paper away.

_“Well, we weren’t exactly getting anywhere before I mentioned it, now, were we?”_ Emily rolls her eyes at his smugness, but her comedic reaction only lasts a second because, next, she hears him ask, _“Is something on your mind?”_ and, suddenly, all she can do is breathe out with lying, pursed lips and an expression that contradicts her response.

“Nope, just… distracted,” her throat tightens at the reasoning, knowing that it’s partly the truth, but, yeah, something _is_ on her mind. “Generally speaking, I mean.”

_“Huh,”_ for a second, the brunette wonders if he’s about to point out how her uppity tone is evidently fake before questioning her further, but whatever prying mindset he had for a short moment is lost when he relents, _“Okay, then. I think that’s all I need, for now.”_

“‘For now’?”

_“Just for that, I may have Mom call you later.”_

“Please don’t.”

_“I’ll also have to tell her you said that.”_

“Dad,” she whines, but it comes out matched with a laugh.

_“Alright, fine,”_ Mr. Fields lets his own laughter come to an end before sighing. _“I’ll talk to you soon.”_

“Love you.”

_“Love you too.”_

The call is ended once she hears him hang up, first checking the device to make sure there are no new text messages on her screen. Much to her disappointment, her inbox is empty, and a pout appears over her mouth because she doesn’t want to bother Alison too much before she visits tonight, but she was the last one to sent a text and is determined to wait for a response; Emily’s never been one to enjoy the feeling of coming off as “clingy,” and she’s not sure if that’d drive the blonde away ━ especially when the girl is trying to have a spur-the-moment, hang-out session with her friends before she’s set to show up just after seven o’clock.

Ever since last night, however, they’ve been talking nonstop, nearly tripping into another evening of no sleep due to being far too involved in their texting conversation.

Once she got home yesterday, Emily found herself wanting to mention their kiss and how she enjoyed the feeling of soft lips against her own mixed with the fluttering sensation in her stomach when it happened, but her thumbs only made a point to type out a vague _“I really enjoyed tonight.”_

**_A_ ** _━ “Hopefully you enjoy tomorrow night, too.”_

**_E_ ** _━ “Something tells me I’ll enjoy every night I have with you.”_

As soon as she sent it, her mouth dropped open when noticing it could be taken in a totally different direction, wanting to put her pillow over her head whilst she laid in bed in hopes of knocking herself out. Dramatic, she thought at the time, but didn’t bother pushing the idea away because, man, that was so━

**_A_ ** _━ “That ‘something’ is right.”_

The blonde’s response made her feel a bit better, and all she could picture were those beautiful teeth shining in the darkness of Alison’s bedroom. Soon, Emily remembered how their bedrooms are in direct, diagonal sight of one another, turning over within her bedsheets and adjusting her position so she could stare through the window. She wondered if Alison was doing the same ━ probably not with binoculars, though ━ and if the girl mutually felt so close and comforted by the concept of their lack of distance ━ despite the fact that, really, they were still a block apart.

Alison stopped texting back around three-thirty in the morning, though Emily repeatedly mentioned that she should go sooner. Once the blonde fell asleep, however, Emily scrolled through some apps before putting her phone down ten minutes later, smiling to herself when thinking about the girl soundly lost in her dreams hardly two minutes away. She snuggled against her pillow and, at the movement, could swear she smelt the remnants of Alison’s perfume, rubbing her lips together, and, before she knew it, she joined the blonde in slumber.

She woke up to a nice, morning message, feeling like she’s never going to be able to stop smiling if Alison keeps up with this sweet, loving behavior. It’s making her feel like a teenager again, especially when she conscientiously counts her messages and plans her moves, and also when she tends to get lost in her own thoughts while trying to get daily chores done. Just an hour ago, she tried doing laundry yet forgot to close the washer, going to check on her “freshly cleaned” clothes and stumbling upon a wide-open, see-through door with everything still dry and the _“unlocked”_ light still on. Emily deadpanned at the sight, her face dropping, eyes rolling, and her foot kicking it closed before hitting the button ━ just before her father called.

A faint groan exits her throat, hands coming up to rub her eyes while taking a step backward because, wow, she’s tired, and━

Her foot steps on the corner of something on the floor, instantly remembering her struggle with the clipped papers and how something tumbled out of the drawer. She looks downward and frowns, seeing a blank piece of paper and bending over to pick it up with gentle fingertips and a creased forehead.

The expression changes with a small laugh breaking through her confusion once she’s holding onto the unopened letter that Alison had given her on the first day they hung out. She shakes her head at her eagerness to get to know the blonde without giving her thank-you card the time of day, having forgot about it because, as soon as she had the girl’s number, everything else was lost in her memory.

For whatever reason, she feels she owes it to Alison to open the card, knowing the girl must’ve spent at least a little money on the item unless it’s something that’s been made ━ and, in that case, she _really_ should give it some attention. So, with kind, patient fingers, Emily unseals the blank envelope with a sense of determination to see what’s written, if anything.

In a funny way, Emily feels like this is the prologue to what their relationship is becoming, like the item, itself, means a lot to what they’re going to be ━ once they label whatever they are. She smiles at the idea, for a moment getting lost in her envisions again while her finger is tucked into the flap of the envelope with the same, wiped-out grin on her face. It fades gradually, however, because she’s going to get tired of not being able to focus on anything ━ not to say she can really help it.

Emily takes a sharp breath with a quiet “Okay” tailing the gust, tearing open the last corner of the envelope and sliding out what it contains. It’s a colorful card, displaying a large _“Thank You”_ on the face of it. It invokes the thought of how Alison went about choosing it, Emily wondering if this particular one caught her eye, or if she became so frustrated that she just picked one out at random ━ or something in between.

_Focus,_ she stresses.

Despite her repetitive mantras telling herself to stop fucking around, the smile remains on her face as she flips to scan the card’s insides, her eyes lit up while reading Alison’s personalized, bottom message: a simple _“Thank you”_ in her own handwriting.

Emily stares at the writing as the light in her gaze begins to dim lower and lower, face dropping while lifting her focus from the card so she’s looking at nothing in particular across the room. Her face is desolate while stuck in her thoughts, this time being less than amusing and fluffy to support the way she slaps the card down onto the countertop and slides over to the drawer in which she found it.

She feels like she’s throwing its contents back and forth, pulling the drawer so far forward that its wheels come off the track and she’s bending it at a downward angle. Her eyes are wide and frantic, as if she’s searching for something that she desperately needs while the world around her crumbles ━ because she _does_ need to find something, and the universe might as well be collapsing underneath her.

Beneath everything is another thank-you card ━ one she had gotten weeks upon weeks ago from someone who, prior to seconds ago, was called “anonymous.”

Identical to the way she all but threw the other card down onto the counter, this one makes a clacking sound once its spine hits the surface right next to it, Emily’s shaking hands lining up the personalized messages and following the specifically looped tails of the blonde’s _y_ ’s ━ and, now that she studies both, the similarities between every other letter.

The brunette’s mouth falls open; Alison’s writing is unmistakable.

Memories flash into her mind, falling back on the time she received the first card from her anonymous match found through the small, localized clinic. She had been leaving her final appointment with a sense of accomplishment, loving the way she seemingly helped someone who wanted to conceive, when a nurse stopped her to transfer a blank envelope.

_“What’s this?” the brunette confusingly frowns._

_“The couple who you matched with wanted you to have it,” she smiles, immediately afterwards jumping in to relieve Emily of any impending nervousness. “Don’t worry, your name and information are still confidential. They just wanted me to give it to you.”_

At the time, she didn’t think much of it. She was confused as all hell, really, and, once she opened it, her smile reappeared with that sense of accomplishment returning heavier than before, but the card was never something she’d put on display in her house. In all honesty, Emily only paid attention to it, in that moment, because she had nothing else to go on. These people ━ _Alison_ , apparently ━ didn’t know her, nor did she know them, but they made a point to write a message on a card when they didn’t have to do _anything_ sentimental for her.

It made Emily want to know whoever wrote it, at least enough to write back and wish them a happy life with the family they’re about to start, but, when she eventually realized that it wouldn’t happen, she moved on despite knowing that the clinic had only been pairing people within close range. After all, she figured the odds were still one in a million in regards to coming eye to eye with the couple whom she was matched with. Nevertheless, the unknown didn’t create a sore spot in her heart, but it inevitably left some wonder that she figured would never be answered.

The answer, however, is much more confusing than she ever could’ve imagined. It all makes sense, too, and that’s even more confusing because, truly, how the hell are they supposed to go about this now? They’re starting a relationship ━ or were at least close to ━ and, after this, it’s going to be an entirely different concept. She supposes her sense of “I feel like I already know you” when around Alison proves to be true, now that she knows that they already have an interesting yet brief history together, and, God, why does everything good in her life have to become so _difficult_?

Her hands grip the edge of the counter as she’s hunched over with her arms extended, bowing her head and taking a breath. Question upon question pile up in her mind. Does she tell Alison? _Now_? Should she wait until tonight? Will this change things, in the blonde’s perspective?

Focus, Emily thinks again.

She bites her lower lip when wondering how it affects her own way of looking at how they’ve progressed. Her feelings are certainly still there, and there’s a strange sense of magnetism when thinking about the girl in this particular setting. Admittedly, it’s kicked into “complicated” territory ━ though she doesn’t enjoy using the word ━ but all she wants to do is sit down with Alison and explain that this doesn’t have to change things.

Yeah, _okay,_ Emily thinks; the odds of the girl listening to the words “I still like you” and accepting them without question are slim to none, primarily because, fuck, Alison’s going to think she’s only in this for the baby.

She’s not, though, and, quite frankly, she’d walk away if Alison told her this is way too complex to deal with ━ but she wants to try, not for the baby, but for whatever they were about to make together. A life, hopefully.

Emily grimaces, bowing her head again; is it too soon to start thinking about a life with Alison? Is she only thinking this way because of their newly discovered connection? No, no, the thought was there before. All “just starting out” couples make silly, life-plans together, don’t they? That’s just part of the territory, right?

The brunette groans and pushes herself away from the counter, rubbing her hands against her eyelids in hopes that she’ll pass out, on the spot. That last-night, suffocation-via-pillow plan is really sounding like her best bet, as of now.

What if these circumstances really _do_ change the way Alison looks at her? ━ or _them_ , as a whole. Selfishly, Emily wishes she could lock this information in a box and reveal it at an opportune time, but deep down knows 1) that isn’t fair, and 2) Alison wouldn’t take it any better if she stumbled upon the secret, months from now.

Things were going so smoothly, the brunette internally whines. Alison quickly became the one person who’s liked her for… _her_ , in so long. Additionally, the feelings have been ounce-by-ounce mutual, and everything’s happened so cohesively with a lightness and evident care. That won’t change and she knows it, at least not on her side of things, but it’s still frustrating to know that she was never really given a chance to build a solid relationship with Alison without having this “will it or won’t it wreak havoc?” wondering in her mind.

Her heart jumps through the ceiling when her cell phone goes off, alerting the entire room of a new notification ━ from Alison. Emily swallows the lump in her throat and approaches the counter, picking the device off the cool surface and breathing solidly while reading the message:

_“Is it seven yet?”_

Nervous eyes dart to the corner clock of her phone’s screen, noticing that it’s only five, and blinking hard with a deep exhale being heard; that’s just enough time to breathe, but too much room to panic and pace until her energy gives out.

In the end, Emily shakes her head and tries to empty her mind of struggles for at least thirty minutes, hoping to shower and relax while cold water hits her skin. Without responding, she shuffles away from the counter and prepares herself for the night ahead.

 

X X X

 

Emily feels Alison’s thighs shift against hers, the blonde straddling her lap with their lips moving with each other in a specific, heated rhythm. She lets out breaths here and there, the same being gifted to her face when they depart for single seconds at a time.

Her hands hold onto Alison’s waist with a confidence that wasn’t there when they first began this random, wanting position, initially having her palms somewhat hover above the fabric of the blonde’s zip-up hoodie with clear, heavy hesitation that the other girl sensed. In response, Alison didn’t waste time in making Emily know that she wanted to be touched while they kissed, unzipping her own sweatshirt and dragging those timid fingertips to her waist before leaning in again with a courageous, “I know what I want” kind of smile that the brunette felt herself slightly giggling at.

Nails gently scrape at the skin beneath her ear, Alison putting more effort into the kiss by brushing her tongue past Emily’s and letting out a soft sound at the feeling. The heat in the room is indescribable, formerly calm and relaxing whereas, now, a thin layer of sweat causes their clothes to cling to their bodies ━ especially the brunette’s back as it’s pressed against the couch cushions behind her. Alison’s hoodie fell to the floor around fifteen minutes ago, a result of the blonde shedding herself of the garment with a pained yet desirable face because her body grew way too hot in a matter of simple motions ━ starting with when she straddled the other girl.

They weren’t this conjoined when Alison first arrived, however. In fact, the first moments of this encounter were around the shade of awkward, but it was a comforting uneasiness in a way that neither of them wanted to make the first move even though the memory of how they felt when kissing was fresh in their minds.

_“How was your day?” Emily asks the girl sitting a whole cushion away, neither of them turned to one another but acting like this is the strangest conversation in the world._

_Although her posture was stiff and panicked when Alison sent her a message saying she’s on her way, Emily’s heart fluttered like normal once the girl arrived at her apartment. A smile appeared on her face instantly, opening the door fully to let her guest inside without bothering to think back on what she discovered hours before. Thankfully, she’s calmed down a level ━ maybe two ━ and her shower helped tremendously, feeling ready to confront the issue once she gets an opening._

_“It was… a day,” Alison laughs at her own answer, shaking her head while ducking it slightly. “CeCe and Aria are always a good time, though, so at least it wasn’t fully boring and overrun by work,” she looks into brown eyes that pay attention to what she’s saying, wholeheartedly wanting to know how her day was._

_When Emily doesn’t reciprocate by answering the unasked question, Alison voices it._

_“What about you?”_

_“I…” she thinks for a moment, deciding against jumping to attack the blonde with her realization so soon. “My day was boring. I did laundry, talked to my Dad about next week’s scrimmage, took a shower…” her list is dragged out, blinking hard with her eyes stinging._

_“Hm,” the light hum comes with narrowed, thinking eyes, afterwards looking at Emily and searching her features with a knowing “You look tired.”_

_“I’m okay.”_

_“Well, you may be okay, but you still look tired,” Alison raises her eyebrows._

_“I am,” Emily reluctantly admits, seeing the blonde slide a little closer._

_“Is it my fault?”_

_“Maybe a little,” her words are smooth while mirroring Alison’s advances, turning her body and leaning an inch closer when she catches the blonde’s decisive expression._

_“Is it bad that I’m not sorry?”_

_She chuckles, “I don’t want you to be.”_

_Emily can almost taste her lips, ready to smile against her mouth because the thought of kissing Alison has been attacking her imagination all day ━ with the exception of those two, tedious hours of calm yet debate-surrounded pacing._

_Alison only leans her forehead against Emily’s, however, giving her a smirk that the brunette silently questions without pulling away. A giggle comes forward, as well, and Emily waits for an explanation, asking, “What?”_

_“I went to the pharmacy earlier, and your friend told me to tell you she said hi.”_

_She wants to groan at Spencer’s tendency to pry her way into situations, already seeing her friend’s smug grin. The thought is shaken away within seconds, being erased when she feels Alison leaning closer with her hand falling onto Emily’s thigh in order to━_

Again, Alison shifts along Emily’s thighs, constantly trying to stop herself from getting lost in the monumental amount of tension between them. It’s difficult, realistically, due to Emily’s roaming hands occasionally drifting down to her ass before going back to her hips. Maybe she’s struggling to keep calm, just as much, Alison theorizes. She knows Emily is enjoying their abrupt make out session, though, recalling how the brunette reacts to the sounds she makes whenever she inadvertently rolls her hips even though she can’t create any friction; at Alison’s responses, she’ll pull her closer while kissing harder, sliding their tongues together in a sensual way that makes the blonde want to dig her nails into soft skin even more.

She wants to keep their pace steady, however, remembering her conversation with CeCe and Aria when asked about her status with Emily.

_“So, how was last night?” CeCe digs for something more than a simple recollection, having been situated on the couch for merely five minutes with Aria a cushion away._

_Alison offers her an initial, coy smirk, biting one corner of her lower lip before cheekily drawling, “I don’t kiss and tell,” from where she sits across from the two._

_First, the other blonde gives her a curt, jaw-dropped reaction, followed by a pursed-lipped sound and an unimpressed “That was so corny.”_

_“I loved it,” Aria beams while looking at Alison, nodding to the girl as CeCe rolls her eyes with a playful yet judgmental grin._

_“Of course you did,” she huffs before staring ahead at Alison, prying, “Details, though. I don’t give a damn if you don’t ‘kiss and tell.’ It’s null and void when it comes to your best friends.”_

_Blue eyes squint in faux thought, “I don’t remember that being part of the phrase.”_

After a few more back-and-forths including Alison’s refusal to give much information on the subject, she relented and spilt that she’s happy with how things are going. She told them more about Emily, and how they had hung out three times before last night, getting some bluntly shocked reactions, followed by frowns and accusatory jabs such as _“Why didn’t you tell us?”_ and _“And you waited until last night to kiss her?”_ Toward the end of the conversation, Alison gave them a more-solid answer regarding her sexuality ━ not to say it’s definitive; _“I’m still learning myself. In a general sense, I don’t know who I like. Specifically, though…”_ she paused, _“I like and_ want _Emily.”_

Alison smiles against Emily’s mouth, her expression disrupting their kiss just enough for the brunette to notice and back up so they can catch their breath. The brunette’s hands shift on the other girl’s lower back, Alison loving the feeling because it reminds her of when she first straddled Emily and how hesitant she was, eventually growing into the embrace and dragging fingertips along her curves. It felt nice, and Alison let out a deep breath at the feeling, biting on Emily’s lower lip and tugging for a moment of euphoria in which she wishes she had lost herself.

Emily swallows hard when her throat feels dry, opening her lidded eyes to see Alison staring at her with devotion and genuine like.

Before too long, to disrupt the severe eye contact, Alison rubs her lips together and gives Emily a face that displays a mild, playful self-disappointment, feeling shy for the way she’s been so attached to the girl since she got here ━ not to mention on top of her.

“I’m sorry I seem so…” her eyes widen, eyebrows raising to signify that she never planned on being this touchy, so soon.

She wants to explain how frustrated she’s been since last night when they shared that unforgettable moment in the doorway of her apartment, their following, texting conversation extracting a few more, detailed thoughts, but her eyes only shyly look at Emily with an undertone that she hopes explains what she can’t verbally confess. At the same time, Alison wants to groan at the tension in her body, having the strong desire to throw her hands in the air because, seriously, what the hell? For weeks, she hasn’t even wanted to be _near_ anyone, but then Emily waltzes into her life, and, suddenly, all she wants to do is cling to her with hugs, kisses, and the random dry-humping that just occurred moments ago. A tinge of embarrassment attacks her cheeks, making them turn a light shade of red.

Emily doesn’t notice within the short time it appears, much to Alison’s thanks, because she doesn’t verbally respond, and, instead, leans forward to kiss bruised lips three more, extended times.

Alison allows herself to hum against the girl’s mouth, thoroughly loving the feeling and wishing they could stay like this for another string of hours. Unfortunately, she has to leave earlier than she planned, and reluctantly tears herself away from Emily while staying seated on the brunette’s lap.

“I should get going,” her words make Emily frown almost before they’re in the air. “If I don’t leave now, I’m afraid I’ll do something _really_ ridiculous.”

She gets an accusing smile even though there’s a shade of hurt in the brunette’s voice when Alison begins to get up and snatch her hoodie from nearby, “Is that really your reason for leaving? You just got here.”

“I actually have an early, mandatory ultrasound appointment to make sure everything looks okay and the procedure was completed with no trouble, so… _that’s_ more of my reasoning,” she sighs, the other girl’s mouth opening at the explanation. “I remembered a few hours ago when I looked at my calendar.”

Emily perches herself on the edge of the couch and stares at the floor with a conflicted posture. On sight, Alison frowns and tilts her head to the side, thinking it’s more so because she wasn’t aware of the change in plans and is now bummed out. Quickly, she goes to defend herself for not speaking up, feeling guilty once Emily begins to stand up without saying anything.

“I’m sorry, I should’ve told you when I realized, but I wanted to see you, even for just a little,” the blonde’s voice comes with a pleading undertone, forehead creased in regret as Emily stretches her legs so they’re finally eye to eye.

With a bit of thinking and newfound, cute eyes, Alison adds with a mutter, “Plus, I became a little… _preoccupied,_ when I got here.”

She gets a tiny laugh from Emily ━ one that fades out and disappears as soon as it was heard, the brunette worrying at her lower lip before asking, “You don’t… need someone there, tomorrow?” rather cautiously because, once she sees an opening ━ _the_ opening ━ for that dreaded conversation, she decides that it’s now or never.

“No,” it’s light and unquestionable, Alison knowing this is now part of her routine and lifestyle, “I’ll be fine.”

Her words make Emily look awkward, visibly biting her inner cheek with the refusal of locking eyes with curious blue. If anything were to make her appear more out-of-place, it would be the girl rocking on her feet in an anxious manner, but, realistically, it’s still pretty clear that something’s on the brunette’s mind, and Alison continues to stare at her with a growing frown.

“Is something wrong?”

“Not _wrong_ ,” now, her existence becomes so awkward through her voice raising an octave, Emily wanting to slap herself in the face for the sound.

“Okay, either you’re lying, or…” Alison thinks once her sentence fades, pausing before making her tone more declarative. “You’re lying. That’s really the only guess I have.”

“I promise, I’m not,” Emily takes a breath, not wanting to make Alison fear the worst ━ even though, really, she has no idea what the blonde’s going to view this situation as.

She feels like an hour passes following her recent dismissal of Alison’s accusation, but only seconds fly by as her breathing locks in her throat because she’s way too scared to be faced with the girl’s reaction to everything. It’s now or never, she internally repeats.

“But there is something I think you need to know,” she follows up her promise from before with the statement, hardly hearing her own voice when opening her mouth.

Alison looks at her in a strange, quizzical way, narrowing her eyes as if she’s trying to read the girl in front of her. Before she can manage to come up with some kind of theory, Emily backs away from the closeness between them and slowly drags herself over to the kitchen area, four steps backward.

With shaking hands that only float above the two cards for a moment, Emily takes time to blink hard and inhale, sliding them both off the counter to grasp them between her fingers. She turns back to Alison with the items in her hash grasp, refusing to let them go, or allow them to fall to the floor due to nervousness; it has to be done.

The blonde, at first, doesn’t react, not having a clear shot of what’s in Emily’s hands, but the cards are un-shuffled and displayed between separate fingers, in due time.

Instantly, Alison’s mouth opens and her eyes water, not moving from where she stands while it feels like the thick air from before crashed around them. Now, Emily feels like they’re in an empty, echoing room, the clock ticking nearby while she waits for some sort of more-defined reaction from Alison who now looks at her with anger, confusion, and, suddenly, a dark, disbelieving laugh.

Emily, realizing that Alison’s probably waiting for her to say something, decides to open her mouth even though she feels like there’s a vice grip around her windpipe.

“I saw your handwriting, and I━”

“Those… they’re yours?” Alison shakes. “You’re…” nothing else follows, Emily’s eyes drifting away at the hollowness of the girl’s voice ━ until it becomes choked-up with a sense of embarrassment coming through.

“You’ve known, this whole time?” the blonde’s eyes water heavily, mouth hanging open with her forehead creased, looking like she’s leaning forward with stiff shoulders to beg the question of why Emily hadn’t told her sooner.

“No, no,” Emily is quick to assure her with pleading features, putting both cards in one hand so she can speak freely. “I forgot to open the one you gave me, over a week ago. It’s been sitting in my drawer, but I found it today, so━”

“So, you waited, _all of tonight,_ to tell me?”

Emily’s mouth, first, falls open with nothing tumbling out, afterwards evenly explaining, “I didn’t want you to think━”

“Think what?” Alison’s voice raises, a tear going down her cheek ━ unsure if it’s through sadness, anger, or a combination of the two. “That you feel guilty I’m stuck in this mess? That you━you feel obligated to stick by my side, now?” she stutters, trying to breathe.

“Yes,” it’s choked out, forced with her tone becoming the same level as the other girl’s ━ and the same shade of pain. “I _didn’t_ want you to think those things, Alison, because they’re _not true_ ,” she emphasizes her points. “I mean, yeah, I feel upset that your asshole ex-fiancé abandoned you after agreeing to support you throughout your pregnancy, but it’s not guilt on _my_ part,” her closed hand gestures to herself, eyebrows furrowed.

“You don’t have to support me, either,” it’s not mean, but it’s as if she’s set on believing that Emily isn’t being genuine about her feelings now that she’s aware of the semi-unplanned history they have together. “I meant it when I first told you I’m okay on my own, Emily. I wouldn’t change anything I’ve decided to do.”

As Alison looks away once the words escape her mouth, Emily stresses, “And _I_ meant it when I said I care to know who you are.”

The blonde side-eyes her as her arms cross in defense and self-comfort, sealing her lips as if she’s going to be sick. Emily doesn’t stray away from proving her point, however, and continues with a pleading “I said that _before_ I knew, remember?”

Emily wants to kick herself for creating this mess, though she internally prods at the self-loathing because it couldn’t have been avoided unless she time-traveled back and stopped herself from entering that clinic, in the first place.

Alison, on the other side of the room, muses about her instincts in regards to how familiar Emily felt ━ almost like she’d known the brunette all her life, even though she was simply a stranger she crossed paths with at the pharmacy downstairs. It makes a lot more sense than the disputed, “maybe I knew you in a past life” idea, but, God, this is so much more… _complex_ ━ and, even then, _that’s_ an understatement. Where do they go from here?

“I know,” once Alison accepts the reminder, her voice cracks and she shakes her head while bowing it to the floor, afterwards raising her chin to look at Emily again, “but this still changes a lot, and…” her mouth opens and closes, soon evading eye contact as if the concept stings her when she’s looking into that once-warm brown for too long.

The other girl grimaces and stays silent, mimicking Alison’s position by crossing her arms and ducking her head like she wants to hide away and never reappear.

Alison feels bad for the newly assumed posture and overall vibe, seeing Emily swallow hard in a way that signifies she’s trying to keep herself from crying. She wants to approach, in all honesty, and maybe hug the brunette with a whispered proclamation that they’ll work things out, but there’s way too much bouncing around in her head, right now, and she still believes that Emily only wants them to fall together for reasons beyond just the two of them. Deep down, she knows she shouldn’t think that because of how genuine the girl’s been, all along, but it’s a hard accusation to stray away from; there are too many _what if_ ’s, at the moment, and she needs to think.

“I have to go,” Alison mutters with a sad look on her face, seeing Emily lift her head so they can give each other one last glance before she exits, and her feet take her to the door to escape with a crestfallen, embarrassed heart.

“Will you text me?” a strained voice stops her once she opens the door, a wave of rejection coursing through Emily’s veins at the lack of hug or kiss ━ or simple goodbye.

“Uh━m,” when her automatic response wavers with a crack breaking up the unknowing hum, she takes a breath, forcing a nod with heavy limbs standing in the doorway, “yeah, I will.”

Emily only mouths an accepting “Okay,” and, with a final, curt smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes, Alison leaves.

The brunette stands in the same spot for an extended, lonely time after the door shuts and footsteps stop creating a slight vibration at the end of the hallway, and her eyes water. She wonders if Alison really will text her, or if they’ll stop talking now that the information is out in the open.

She knows it’s not something to take lightly, and maybe it’s far more unbelievable in Alison’s eyes because, technically, she’s performing most of the care and work by carrying this child who is now identified as part of her almost-girlfriend, but why should it drive them apart?

The only thing she regrets and wishes she had done differently, however, is how she handled telling Alison ━ or, more specifically, how she waited throughout the night. She saw how embarrassed the girl looked; though the blonde was clearly stunned, she didn’t seem weirded-out by the idea. Only hurt, confused, and almost as if a cruel, high school prank was just played on her ━ like when someone you’re so infatuated with asks you out, only to stand you up and talk about it with their friends on social media because it was some big joke.

Emily swallows hard and wants to message Alison already, first and foremost to apologize repeatedly, but refuses to make the first move, this time ━ not this soon, at least. Alison deserves some room to breathe, think, and cry if she feels the need, just like Emily is given the opportunity to do the same.

Before they can work things out with each other, they have to discover how they feel about the thought of Emily being the biological mother to Alison’s child.

The brunette’s eyes widen before they drift down to the cards in her hand, her legs shaking as she walks over to the couch and plops down on the very edge of the seat with her sight fixated on the pastel-colored note she had received from Alison (and Elliott, apparently), that day at the clinic. Her fingers peel the card open, heart pounding more than when she first read it, and she pinches her bottom lip with her other hand in a self-questioning manner.

The words make something in her chest feel fuzzier rather than cold, ultimately sinking into her wonders that revolve around the message within and if Alison still means what she wrote:

_“Anonymous or not, we’d like to express how lucky we feel to have connected with you through this program. A simple ‘thank you’ isn’t enough, but I know it’s a start, so thank you for helping us start a family.”_

In all sincerity, Emily hopes she still means it.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That pesky, unmistakable handwriting… like a second fingerprint, damn it.
> 
> Oh, also: For those who correctly theorized from the get-go (I know, a lot of you saw "egg donor" and miniature mind-sirens went off), congrats, and I'll give you time to gloat. You get one second.
> 
> Time's up.
> 
> Now that we know what NOT to do when faced with this conundrum (like wait until the very last second to spill the beans)… what are your views on this? Like, not exactly of the situation (unless you really want to share your viewpoint on that, entirely), but of how Emily handled it? In my mind, this certainly could've gone better on both sides, but I think Emily truly didn't have ill intentions, and I believe she was genuinely confused regarding how to go about confronting that information. The prime issue is that… Emily, sweetie… you shouldn't have waited until after you were dry-humping on the damn sofa.
> 
> Quite frankly, Alison is embarrassed (just like Emily noticed) because she feels like she's been cheated, in a way ━ definitely exposed. Here they are, kissing and being unbelievably close with one another ━ open, vulnerable, peeled-back, to only name a few descriptions ━ and, throughout the whole time, Emily held onto this information without bothering to tell her. So, yeah, Alison feels like she was tearing her own walls down while Emily kept hers up, like when you fall for someone who doesn't mutually hold those same feelings ━ even though, as the audience, we know that Emily is in this just as deep.
> 
> But what about this whole donor-egg thing? ━ now known as the "Emison baby" thing. Clearly, where we stand now, this situation's a mess. I can see both sides of it, though, if we were to pretend this happened with my involvement (please, every higher power, no). I'd think it'd change a whole freakin' lot, like Alison said in this case, especially if I wasn't prepared. HOWEVER! Looking at Emison within this fic, and how they're both very mature individuals… sure, it caught them off-guard (heck, who wouldn't be caught off-guard by this?), but we'll obviously see them work something out. It'll take some massive acknowledgement, particularly on Alison's end because, judging from this chapter, I think she took it worse.
> 
> In a way, this revelation instantly kicked Emily's instincts into a very new territory, and she'll quickly take on the role as, well, almost like a second parent ━ Alison's counterpart, technically. She doesn't want to openly own up to that, though, and this idea is probably the main focus of everything they're going to go through, following this chapter; it'll take a while to get from "Okay, this is happening, and we'll work with it" to "This is our life now, and I wouldn't want it any other way," because, from now-on, they're walking a fine line of "First and foremost, we're two individuals who feel for each other, and we just so happen to have this massive bond."
> 
> First, they have to restructure their romantic relationship/bestfriend-ship before journeying into that of something deeper ━ especially with this kind of responsibility. There's so much fluff to come, I promise, and it won't take long (whatsoever, seriously) for Emily to make Alison understand her words: "And I meant it when I said I care to know who you are."
> 
> In a final note: How cute are these two, though? When they're on the same page, I mean. So smitten, so mushy. Am I filling the Emison void in your hearts yet? I hope so.
> 
> Again, you'll see me within four days, and I wish you a nice weekend.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who called for an early update?
> 
> I'm proud that I received a handful of reviews and messages borderline-beginning with "Aha!" due to the nature of how Emison found out this complicated (wonderful, let's be real) piece of information. I wanted to make it obvious without constructing a metaphorical, neon sign, so I'm happy people picked up on the small tidbits about thank-you cards. Also proves that you're not totally ignoring everything I ramble on about. *grateful tear*
> 
> Would be a great deal of irony if y'all skipped this rambling author's note, wouldn't it?
> 
> Ah, well, I'm done, anyway.
> 
> Since we've already seen Alison make an effort (that damn thank-you card), I think it's time for Emily to do something, now. This chapter, if they had titles, would be called "Decisions, Decisions."
> 
> Read to see why.

Alison’s left hand is propped by her elbow digging into the cool, hard surface of the bar, absentmindedly biting two cherries off a plastic toothpick initially floating in her fruity Shirley Temple. 

_ “Virgin?” _ CeCe had emphasized the word with a smug, popped grin when the other blonde first sat down and ordered, getting an “I’m too tired for this” kind of eye-roll.

About an hour ago, Alison (through exhaustion due to overthinking) invited Aria to visit CeCe at the bar where she sometimes fills in for her old coworkers, getting an immediate, teasing  _ “You can’t drink” _ that received the same reaction as when the taller girl not-so-outright hinted at her pregnancy. 

Nevertheless, she threw on a makeshift, uncaring outfit once Aria accepted, the two making their way to the almost-empty bar and sliding into seats behind where CeCe normally stands to prepare drinks. A few customers sit behind them while watching TVs on the walls, mostly remaining silent unless the baseball game they’re watching takes a bad turn. 

Since they’d arrived, CeCe has made scattered chitchat with her friends, and Alison has been receptive for the most part, offering them vague answers to questions or contributing to any conversation that doesn’t involve her. 

The information about Emily’s been on the tip of her tongue, however, and she knows it’s only a matter of time before it spills from her mouth. The only thing keeping her from willingly confiding in them is how she thinks they’ll react ━ not badly, but she honestly has no idea what they’ll say. It’s not a normal situation, she raises her eyebrows.

Picking up her phone since it’s been lying facedown on the bar for an extended amount of time ━ since they got here, technically ━ Alison bites her inner cheek when she sees another text from Emily. Her face is stoic while her right thumb hovers above the screen, eyes acting like they’re trying to erase the message they’re looking at ━ not through upsettedness, but because she’s way too conflicted:

_ “I know you probably still need time to think, and I’m starting to sound desperate, but please call me tonight. Even if it’s just to tell me to stop bugging you.” _

She’s not annoyed, no, and actually thinks the girl’s clinginess is warming to the point of wanting to message back with a blunt “Let’s forget all about this and go back to how things were,” but knows it’s beyond that type of repairing. 

They’re not broken ━ whatever they are, together ━ but it’s not the same, and Emily likely realizes that, too, however is driven by the idea of what could’ve happened. Admittedly, so is Alison, and her heart’s been pulled every which-way since that bombshell was dropped. She makes a face at the phrase, remembering how she thought telling Emily she’s pregnant was a bombshell. Yeah, right. 

It’s not like she hasn’t tried pushing herself into responding to Emily, either; hours ago, in the silent confines of her apartment after returning from her ultrasound appointment, she was attempting to get some work done when the thought of the brunette floated into her mind more prominently than she could ignore. She missed her, quite frankly ━ she  _ still  _ misses her ━ and knew it was time to make some sort of minute effort.

**_A_ ** _ ━ “I’m not trying to be a bitch, I promise. I’m just figuring things out.” _

**_E_ ** _ ━ “I understand.” _

**_E_ ** _ ━ “Let me know if I can help.” _

Her mouth curved into a soft, sympathetic smile toward the girl, picturing her pacing back and forth across the wood floors in her apartment. It fell from her face within seconds, sadly, and Alison sighed; it was never supposed to be like this, but perhaps that’s the element of surprise. Is it a good or bad surprise, though?

Another sigh exits her throat, feeling like she’s done the same thing repeatedly. Her eyes sting and her head pounds, running on two or three hours of sleep because last night was fucking hell when she kept catching herself lost in the ceiling above her bed with her hand on her stomach ━ until she moved it whenever remembering these new circumstances. 

Today’s ultrasound appointment didn’t help, either, because she crawled onto the examination table and irritably answered every question she was asked by a rather rude doctor. He didn’t tell her much ━ if anything substantial ━ aside from the fact that the baby is healthy, and so is she. 

Oddly enough, she took a breath of relief and felt herself smiling at the information while the doctor was turned away, eyes afterward slamming shut with frustration because she caught herself thinking about how, so far, she’s taken proper care of Emily’s baby. 

_ Emily’s.  _

Looking back, the entire appointment felt new ━ like she was going into the place with information that gave her a sense of pride instead of unknown, unanswered curiosities and a pang of loneliness when no one was by her side. It’s so polarizing, she thinks, because she’s been given this bundle of easiness and a wholesome feeling after involuntarily piecing things together with Emily’s help, but she doesn’t want it; she doesn’t want to feel happy that it’s the brunette’s baby — not because it doesn’t make her get a fluttering newness in her limbs that’s fulfilling, but because she knows that, if she tells the girl what her emotions are leaning toward, it could get even more messy. 

How would Emily react to that? Wouldn’t she think it’s a sticky, too-soon kind of idea? 

Alison has so-adamantly stressed the fact that she’s okay on her own and doesn’t want the brunette to feel obligated when it comes to this child, and she meant it; Emily shouldn’t have that burden put on her shoulders, especially because of how they were recently labeled as strangers.

If Alison were to own up to her personal outlook on the situation, she’d admit that she’s… okay. She feels a little weird because it’s new, and she has no idea what’s going to happen from here on out, but she’s always admired Emily. 

Staring at the glass in front of her, Alison smiles; Emily is such a genuine person, a good role-model with family values, courteous, and everything else greatness-induced. Who  _ wouldn’t  _ want those qualities?

The blonde groans randomly, leaning her head onto the bar and staying like that while CeCe stops filling a glass nearby with a quizzical frown as she turns to Aria. Alison feels them staring at her but doesn’t lift her head just yet, wanting to figure out how to explain herself because it’s obvious that they’re going to━

“Okay, we’ve been trying to ignore your off-putting mood all night, but you’re making it kinda hard,” the blonde behind the counter comments.

“I haven’t been off-putting,” Alison scratches for a defense almost immediately, straightening her back out and continuously being studied like she’s a rare species. “We’ve been…  _ discussing _ ,” she can’t even come up with an example, only remembering that they’ve spoken about things, but not about what, specifically.

“Well, clearly something’s on your mind,” CeCe raises her eyebrows.

“Look at you, putting on your ‘nosey bartender’ aesthetic,” Aria smiles at their friend, the girl behind the counter laughing and shaking her head before focusing back on Alison and dropping the dopey grin from her face, keeping her eyebrows raised while emphatically waiting.

“I…” her initial thought ━ that wasn’t even completely formed ━ fades away, pressing her tongue to her inner cheek with her eyes drifting off to the other side of the vacant bar, “I don’t even know how to begin explaining this, so I’m just going to come right out and say it.”

“Is this about your sexuality?” she’s interrupted with a blunt, comedic tone, the blonde bartender getting out a curt, amused laugh while using the beer tap to fill a glass. “Because, let me tell you━”

“Emily was the donor,” Alison runs over her entertainment ━ purposely ━ before backtracking with squinted eyes and an absentminded “Or  _ is  _ the donor. Whatever.”

The beer CeCe was filling drips over the top of the rim with foam, covering her hand as she stares at Alison before shaking her head and all but sliding the drink to the side of the counter. Aria’s eyes dart between the two other girls as if she’s confused as to if she should turn to CeCe for advice on how to react, or if she should give sympathy to Alison who doesn’t appear the least bit shocked by what she just said.

“‘Emily,’ as in…  _ Emily _ ?” CeCe’s first question on the subject makes Alison’s eyes widen.

“Yes, how many people named ‘Emily’ do you think I know?”

“Jesus,” is the next thing that comes from the girl’s mouth, bowing her head with her hands gripping the counter in a taken-aback, “I need to let this sink in” kind of way.

“Are you sure?” Aria frowns, and Alison admires her skepticism. 

“Unless she just so happened to have the card I gave the anonymous donor,” the blonde shrugs tightly, slumping her shoulders afterward, “yeah, I’m sure.”

Before either of her friends can offer a response, Alison looks away, “And  _ she’s  _ the one who approached  _ me  _ with it, so.”

At the same time as CeCe asking, “What did she say?” Aria wonders, “Did she say anything?” and Alison wants to laugh, but doesn’t have it in her.

“Um…” her memories float back to the encounter and what happened, but she only recalls being hit with the face of the card before spiralling into a massive heap of _ holy crap _ ’s and  _ what if _ ’s, otherwise having diluted remembrances in regards to what Emily said and how she pleaded to be heard, “she… I don’t know.”

“How do you not know? Alison, this is the sort of thing you’re supposed to remember word-from-word.”

“I panicked, okay?” she squeaks, feeling targeted. “I saw the card in her hand, and practically accused her of hiding it from me, then I told her that she doesn’t need to stick around even though she tried saying that she still wants to get to know me,” her rant ends with taking a large inhale, being stared at as she ducks her head and rubs her eyes with the bottoms of her palms.

Once she settles back into her previous position, trying to avoid their assessing, curious glances while allowing the tail-end of her former, emotional outburst to pass through the area, Alison rubs her lips together and plays with her own fingers. She looks to the corner of the bar, eyes zoned in on a bottle of liquor that she’s never heard of before, and her face seems almost expressionless.

“What are you guys thinking?” Alison asks her friends, voice like a robot’s.

“I’m wondering what you’re going to do,” Aria is first to reveal her thoughts, “ _ if _ you’re going to do anything.” 

“I have no fucking clue,” her honesty comes out through a whisper, gaze still fixated on the same bottle.

“I know this is…  _ new _ ,” CeCe begins, getting Alison to look at her, “and maybe it’s a little confusing, or  _ a lot _ ,” her eyes widen when she backtracks, “but what do you feel?”

Her eyes lower.

CeCe continues, “We saw how crazy you were about her. That’s not the type of thing that goes away. Not unless you’re scorned by someone,” she makes a face. “If anything, isn’t this the opposite? It’s…” her thought dies, replaced with a dumbfounded, forever-shocked laugh.

“It  _ is  _ the opposite,” the admission makes her swallow hard. “I feel…  _ connected  _ to her. Way more than I did before, like when I told you,” she looks at CeCe who keeps a smile hidden behind her eyes. “That’s petrifying, so much that I’m surprised I’m even saying it. I don’t know what this means, or what I want it to mean. I don’t know  _ anything _ .”

“It’s okay to not know,” Aria comforts, “but only if you let yourself figure things out, in due time.”

“With Emily,” CeCe coaxes, Alison sealing her lips with a pained expression. “What are you worried about?” she asks when she sees the girl’s face. “I’m not saying I know how you feel, but I get it’s difficult and probably nerve-wracking,” she pauses. “I don’t think that’s it, though.”

No response.

“What’s going on?”

She takes a breath at the pleading tone, “I’m worried that she thinks she has to stick around.” 

Her friends visibly relax where they’re sitting and standing, almost like they’re surprised they didn’t think of that, but now understand where the girl is coming from.

Alison explains, “I don’t want her to feel like she has to. That’s not fair to her.” 

Her eyes lift and look between the others, whispering, “This is my situation to deal with, not hers.”

“But you can’t just expect her to walk away now,” Aria tries, forehead creased. 

“I know she signed documentation in the clinic, Ali, but Aria’s right,” CeCe admits, the brunette smugly grinning while biting her straw between her teeth.

“Two points for me.”

CeCe can see that Alison doesn’t know what to say, judging by the way her mouth opens and closes before shaking her head and taking a breath. She refuses to stray from the conversation without moderately helping her struggling friend, though, and takes it upon herself to dig for deeper answers.

“So, in that conversation when she told you…” her voice drums up a slight suspense, Alison waiting, “I know you said you don’t remember much, but surely you can vaguely tell us what she said. You know, more than ‘I still want to get to know you.’”

Pausing to think a little more clearly after taking the weight off her chest by confessing to her friends what her night and day have been like, Alison seeps inside her mind and flashes back to the conversation, briefly seeing Emily’s sad, pleading eyes and desperation to get her point across while the blonde all but shook her head at the idea. Regret forms along her skin, feeling sticky even though it’s not tangible when she runs her fingers against her arm, and Alison clears her throat.

“She, um, tried telling me she doesn’t want me to think that she feels guilty and-or obligated, but…”

The mild grimace she flashes her friends after the words are out portrays her ultimate apprehension, CeCe and Aria giving her differing versions of sympathy through a nod and a small pout, respectively. 

“I’d probably feel the same as you, babe,” CeCe hesitates, “but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t being honest with you.”

“I know,” Alison sighs. “Deep down, I know.”

Over the course of the past twenty-four hours ━ or even less ━ she’s been stuck in her mind while replaying their potential relationship over and over again ━ starting from the very beginning. She’d think of Emily’s smile, and of course daydream about her natural scent, and Alison, in turn, would grin at the little things that make her feel so damn happy. 

Emily, in such a short time, became important to her, not only in a romantic sense but as a form of security and connection. Since the first day they met, Alison knew there was something special about her ━ though now she understands how deep the idea of that goes ━ and Emily has certainly lived up to and exceeded her expectations with her caring nature, gentleness, and overall dedication ━ to everything, truly. It’s something Alison has grown accustomed to, and, currently, feels like she’s having withdrawals from, making her heart beat slowly because all it wants to do is lunge at the girl while her mind tells her to settle down, think, and wait to make a decision. After all, this would be a huge one, wouldn’t it?

“Emily likes you,” Aria smiles, her enthusiasm breaking Alison’s train of thought. “Within those two minutes we saw you two together… we could tell.” 

To get her point across to the level of being undisputed, Aria nods in CeCe’s direction, “Even  _ she  _ wouldn’t stop talking about it.”

Aria and Alison both look at CeCe, the taller girl pretending she’s focused on filling a customer’s glass instead of listening to what’s being talked about, but she can’t keep up with her charades once the older customer walks away and she’s left with nothing to do.

“Fine, I’ll admit it,” their constant staring gets the best of her. “Three points for the shorty.”

“I’m on a roll,” the brunette muses, Alison laughing before her small wave of enjoyment wears off, and her mouth falls back into its expressionless default.

“Even if she likes me…” her voice trails off, now sounding like everything’s hitting her as her eyebrows furrow and mouth opens.

“It changes things,” Aria fills in the blank, the conflicted blonde nodding slowly whilst looking like a scared kid. 

“You’ve gotta give her a chance, Alison,” CeCe puts on her best, lecturing tone, also appearing adamant and convictive with the girl in mention wanting to hide somewhere. “I remember how bothered you seemed by not knowing either donors of your child. We could tell that, even though you knew what you signed up for during that clinic's anonymity program, something felt misplaced.”

“Even if you wouldn’t admit it,” her other friend adds onto CeCe’s explanation and recollection of events, remembering how Alison came off as finicky and overly defensive in terms of just about anything once she signed the agreement.

They had a few conversations during that time, Alison never once owning up to how she felt regarding the unknown involved in the program; she had found it useful and great, primarily because it helps families who’d like to enjoy the process of pregnancy without being able to accomplish it, on their own, but it’d often nip at her subconscious, wondering who she’s carrying a part of. If she were to explain back then, some may have found her thoughts odd, and they’d likely ask why she’d want to know, but Alison finds the information to be definitive and a peace of mind, of sorts — albeit now almost the opposite: mindblowing.

Her questions mostly stemmed from a mixture of unknowingness and minor details. For the sperm donor, they knew nearly nothing about whoever-the-hell, aside from his health and qualities, so she never had much to go on in terms of playing detective or daydreaming of who the contributor was. 

Alison felt a little more interested in and accepting of the egg donor, on the other hand, mostly because she knew the clinic’s authorities would be cracking down on anonymity since they mainly match people within close range ━ within the same neighborhood, she muses ━ due to the lesser age of the program, but her friends are right: there was always something missing. 

She remembers something a uniquely personalized, outspoken nurse told her during one of her visits, the woman filling something out while Alison sat nearby, as a result of the blonde asking why only sperm donors were found nationally as opposed to both male and female counterparts:  _ “Sperm donors are more widespread. Men come in here, or into  _ any  _ clinic, they’re told to have a good time, and that’s it,”  _ her raspy voice sounded informative.  _ “With women… it’s more personal, I think. It’s more complex, and maybe a little intimate. Most women I talk to say they had to really set their minds to donating or contributing, at all, because it’s a greater task to undertake. They aren’t sent into a room to ‘rub one out,’”  _ she chuckled, Alison doing the same.  _ “It’s a process.” _

Thinking back on that piece of information, perhaps knowing that someone pushed themselves through something seemingly daunting ━ despite how honorable ━ kept Alison captivated by the idea of discovering who went through it, on her account. So, once everything was completed, no matter how many potential cards she’d send, she knew it wouldn’t quench her thirst for answers, and she found herself sitting in public places while searching the grounds, almost like she’d be able to detect who gifted her with this child. She’d force herself to leave once the thought occurred, however, because she knew how sketchy and maybe a bit obsessive it sounded, ultimately pushing herself to ignore her drive for answers as much as she could ━ and, for a while, she successfully managed.

Until this happened, Alison thinks while looking down to her lap.

Her friends catch the lone reaction and forming silence, CeCe giving her a sad smile although she can’t see it, and Aria doing the same where she sits. 

“Things could work out, in the end,” the blonde tries to be optimistic for her struggling friend, Alison lifting her chin, raising her eyebrows, and opposing her claim.

“Or they could completely fall apart and end up even worse than what happened with Elliott,” it comes through a matter-of-factly attitude, CeCe and Aria both deadpanning with the brunette speaking up.

“I wouldn’t go that far,” a snicker matches the disagreement, though they collectively understand her caution. 

She wants to agree and push away her own, forced pessimism, knowing that Emily would never turn out the way he did, even if they didn’t end up together, but she only makes a face that displays deep, debating thought. 

“You’re only… what? Five weeks along?” the question breaks the small bit of quietness. 

“Five on Wednesday,” Alison mutters, being almost silent when she’s still thinking.

“You have time to figure things out,” CeCe notifies. “First, decide what you want, then, whether it’s just you, or you  _ and  _ Emily… you can focus on what you want for your baby,” she takes a breath. “Seriously, though. This doesn’t have to change things, if you don’t want it to.”

Alison only makes a face, simply wanting to crawl into bed and sleep in hopes that every answer randomly pops up in front of her face ━ like notes on the fridge in her apartment’s kitchen. 

She knows it’s not realistic, unfortunately, and ultimately bows her head, though it doesn’t stop her eyes from brightening up a shade or two because, although her thoughts remain tangled, her support system is probably the best out of anyone’s ━ instantly proving correct when the brunette next opens her mouth.

“You gotta have faith,” Aria sings out, CeCe snickering.

“No singing in the bar,” the blonde behind the counter shakes her head, still laughing.

“I vaguely remember a karaoke night being held here last month,” she throws back.

“There’s a reason why I quit.”

Aria rolls her eyes and shakes her head in friendly judgement, turning her attention back to Alison who waits for whatever else they’re about to throw at her ━ albeit she wears a tiny, childish grin that says she knows they’re right, and finally admits it.

“I know,” is all she comes out with, the two words forced and annoyed because, seriously, why can’t she ever come to conclusions on her own? 

“What do you know?” CeCe lightly coaxes, trying to get the other blonde to tell them what she’s learned ━ like a school teacher lecturing a student. 

“I need to… hear her out,” Alison shifts her jaw, “no matter how anxious I feel about it,” she mumbles the addition.

“ _ And _ ?” Aria waits, a dorky smile on her face.

Her forehead is leaned against the bottom of her palm with her elbow digging into the surface of the bar, evidently stressed and exhausted. The others remain waiting, attentive looks cascaded upon their features.

She swallows hard when her throat feels dry, “I should give her a chance.”

Once the words are out, she’s surprised when her friends don’t react with happiness or big smiles. Instead, they continue to stare at her as if they’re waiting for something else, confusing Alison whose eyes shift between them in growing wonder with furrowed eyebrows accompanying the awkward attitude.

“What?” she asks, Aria looking to CeCe so the blonde can take the reigns for the following exchange because she knows they’re thinking the same thing.

“We just want to make sure you know we’re not pushing you into something you’re not ready for,” CeCe explains. “I mean, we know you, Ali, and we know what it looks like when you want something yet you’re afraid to admit it, but, at the end of the day, we aren’t you.”

Alison waits, knowing something more is coming, and CeCe takes a breath before looking her in the eyes with a smile peaking over her mouth, “So, I’m asking you this, yes or no…” she pauses, grin deepening with squinted eyes. “Considering everything, cards on the table, do you  _ want  _ to give her a chance?”

The straightforward, “no escape” question makes her clear her throat instantly as she evades their eyes, knowing that, if she says she’s not sure, her hidden emotions behind a blue color will betray her, but also realizing that it’s a huge answer to put out in the open. 

She knows what she wants, and she knows what the answer is, but it’s still so massive and could be picked apart in an instant if Emily decided to turn away from everything this could mean. 

This would be taking their potential, start-up relationship and lighting a fire under it, speeding everything up until, suddenly, they had a child that was carried by Alison and practically made by Emily. That’s… complex, and will forever be beyond complicated. 

Despite that, Alison’s already made up her mind, and maybe she already had when she was first faced with that card. Perhaps this was the plan all along, if you believe in those, and her past was supposed to be tangled together until unraveling in an odd way, only to reveal that Emily ━ someone whom she connected with quite instantly ━ means more to her than she could’ve imagined, from the get-go.

So, given her friends’ collective question, Alison mentally declares that it’s time to stop running and at least confront the issue with the help of Emily, hopefully to hear her out and see where they stand. 

On the outside, however, she looks between the two with a timidity that’s almost felt, a pair of smiles being shown by CeCe and Aria, and Alison takes a breath with a shaky grin of her own forming.

“Yes.”

 

X X X

 

Her fingers twist and tangle in front of her as she paces back and forth within her apartment, TV rumbling nearby with random, Monday-night programs. Her thoughts are a blur and eyes feel dry, primarily due to the lack of blinking whenever she forgets since, fuck, she’s never been this nervous for anything ━ okay, maybe that’s stretching it.

Actually, she can’t call it full-blown nervousness, but mainly a mixture of emotions that conflict with her mind telling her to sit back and think for a bit longer while her heart wants to smack her across the face, screaming at her to pick up the phone so she can follow through on calling Emily. She knows her mind is basing its ideas on instinct and fear ━ like when you’re afraid to take a leap of faith or try something new that you know will alter at least a good chunk of who you are ━ but it’s still way too convincing to ignore. Her heart, however, has found a way to earn some attention, expressing how Emily never once showed her any form of desire to abandon whatever they may become. In fact, she’s always appeared welcoming and warm, like a small, village-like, cinnamon-vanilla-smelling candle shop with old knick-knacks and things that could tell more stories than at face-value.

Alison sulks in the image and thought-up scent, stopping in the middle of her pacing route and smiling softly while her eyes drift down to the floor.

She can’t tell if her body feels lighter or more tense since she left the bar, but she’s certain that her friends kept her blending thoughts and wonders at bay ━ as well as her daydreams ━ while they hung out. They prodded at her for a while longer, each jab revolving around Emily, but everything more so strayed away from the elephant in the room ━ A.K.A. everything involving this new pregnancy information. 

Her cheeks warmed up more times than she’d like to admit, though thankfully the dimmed lighting of the establishment had hidden the color for the most part, but, unfortunately for Alison, her smile wouldn’t refrain from making consistent appearances, breaking through and showing her dimples.

_ “You know, I feel like we’ve never really seen this side of you,” Aria comments, swirling the straw of her drink around with her finger until she takes it between her lips. _

_ “Should we get used to it?” CeCe narrows her eyes with an underlying knowledge, but they never get an answer when Alison turns her head with sealed lips, forcefully facing away from their burning stares. _

If she’s being honest, once she left the bar, her drive to call Emily was at an all-time high; all she wanted to do was scramble back to her apartment, throw on a comfortable outfit, fall onto the couch, and dial the girl’s number with a nervous yet declarative “I miss you.” 

She couldn’t find it in her, sadly enough, because her confidence began to shake until the concept’s knees buckled and tumbled down an internal, “no way out” hill. Alison felt it happen, too, and bowed her head once her back hit the door to her apartment while she stood in the darkness.

It’s now after ten o’clock at night, and Alison turns to the TV, wondering if she could maybe find a program to numb her mind until digging up the courage to at least text Emily. 

Tomorrow is a new day, she reminds herself, and possibly a better time to contact the girl so they can sit down and figure something out ━ a common ground, really. Alison wants to grimace at how technical it sounds, like they’re making a business deal or fighting for custody of the child. She shakes her head and brings her palm to her stomach, rubbing it across the fabric of her shirt as her eyes glance downward.

Her moment of slight connection is broken quite quickly, a single tapping noise coming from her bedroom only steps away from where she stands. Instantly, blue eyes whip in the direction of the subtle yet annoying sound, at first wondering if it was merely the wind blowing the cap of an acorn against her window, or something similar, but the theory vanishes when it’s heard again. 

If the door to her bedroom wasn’t opened, and if the lamp on her dresser wasn’t illuminating the space, she’d probably be packing up and leaving before the clock struck eleven, but her curiosity silences the alarm of danger she can hear ringing in her ears, leading to her feet taking her toward the source of the periodic, pebbly sound being peppered against her window.

For the first time, once she’s two steps behind the window, her eyes catch sight of a tiny shadow flickering near the glass until the sound is heard again, a result of something being tossed at her apartment, and the sketchy action makes her quirk an eyebrow until she’s gently throwing her phone onto the bed and peering down onto the sidewalk to see Emily ready to throw another…  _ something  _ at her building. 

The brunette sees that she’s finally gotten Alison’s attention, however, and drops whatever-it-was onto the sidewalk next to her, bowing her head while the window is opened and the girl is sticking her head through the now-open, screenless space with a partly agape mouth that’s somewhat judgemental.

Although Alison can feel her heart fluttering at the cheesy gesture, or what she hopes is some kind of romantic token, her nerves overtake her limbs, and, damn it, she looks like absolute crap with her hair up messily and hoodie practically hanging off her shoulders.

“What are you doing?” her voice resembles a whispered hiss, slightly desperate but a shade entertained.

“Um, being annoying,” she can tell that Emily can’t come up with a better excuse, afterwards putting on a masked confidence. “What does it look like?” her smile is hopeful and bright, though Alison can see slight cracks in it because she knows why the girl is here, and that reason has to do with the fact that she never received a message or call tonight ━ not that the blonde ever promised.

“I was going to call you,” Alison keeps her attitude steady, noticeably guarded but as if she’d like to buy into whatever Emily is proposing through this odd, Romeo-and-Juliet-esque confrontation.

“I figured this would be easier,” the girl visibly slumps her shoulders and looks at her surroundings, the blonde studying how Emily rubs her lips together before staring down at her feet with her sweatshirt covering her fingertips while her arms swing at her sides.

Alison notes that she looks out of place, but her mouth wants to smile at Emily’s appearance and how her confidence seems to be taking a turn toward something childish, similar to when a kid wants something but they’re not prepared to directly ask for it because they believe the answer is going to be negative.

“For who?” she finally asks, curious with a blunt tone because, seriously, pebble-throwing? 

“I was out for a walk, anyway,” her defense is exhaled, looking up at Alison who only stares at her after the excuse exits her mouth, leaving five, elongated seconds to pass before pushing the random conversation along.

“What do you want?” Alison leans her head against the window frame.

“How are you?” internally, she admires how Emily’s first instinct is to ask how she is without even mentioning what’s happened or what she, herself, has been going through since they last saw each other. 

Externally, however, she pretends to be skeptical, “Is that  _ really  _ what you came to ask me?”

“Yeah,” it comes with another shrug, this one only seen since Alison’s been zoning in on her body language for a minute now. 

“I’m fine.”

“I can tell, all the way from down here, that you’re lying,” the brunette’s eyes are pleading, and Alison wants to sigh at the sight because the brown color ━ albeit faint in the moonlight ━ keeps her from looking away with a frown.

Instead, she doesn’t give either of them the satisfaction of keeping on with the topic of lying, whispering, “My neighbors are going to force me out of the complex if this conversation lasts longer than three minutes,” with her eyebrows raising and a faint grin crossing her features, almost like she wants to move this along so Emily finally spits out what Alison knows she’s been wanting to say ━ which, before she can even blink, happens. 

“What are you doing tomorrow night?”

Her mouth opens and closes despite her former, makeshift preparation, “I…”

“How about dinner and a movie?” Emily doesn’t give her a chance to answer, smile returning with a timidity that Alison can sense because her voice sounds sweeter, more begging than usual ━ and that’s hard to beat, as much as it is to turn away from.

Alison shifts her jaw; the offer is enticing, that’s for sure. 

“Give me a chance, Ali. Please,” a frown replaces her recent, sparkling eyes, but her tone remains the same.

The brunette looks around with a small, evident taste of hopelessness and last-resort, “Look, I’ve never done anything like this before. I normally don’t chase people, and that’s because I’m fine with being alone. Just like you.” 

Her reminder makes Alison swallow hard, Emily continuing, “I know things haven’t gone to plan, and it’s different now, but I really want to make this work. Not because of the situation you’re in, but because I… I like you.”

She doesn’t know what part of Emily’s pleaded invite and heartfelt explanation made her eyes decide to water up, but she carefully bows her head so the brunette can’t catch the reaction, feeling the tip of her tongue rub against her bottom lip while thinking. It doesn’t take long, though, and she begins to nod slowly, ultimately making a “no turning back” decision with an oncoming, flirtatious yet guarded smile that Emily watches appear over her features from where she stands on the sidewalk with her fingers fiddling in front of her in a form of nervousness and patience. 

“If I say yes, will you stop throwing things at my window?” Alison’s eyes light up while she manages to keep herself from smiling all too big because of the apprehension still chained to her mind ━ not to say she can’t erase the expression completely because, hell, Emily’s matched, bigger-than-life grin makes her want to invite her up to the apartment, right here and now. 

The brunette nods without hesitation, not giving her a verbal answer as Alison studies her a bit longer. 

Once she’s feeling high off the butterflies fluttering throughout her body, the blonde nibbles on her lower lip with another, fresh smile peaking, nodding once more. 

“Text me when you get home,” it’s a silent yes, and Emily smiles more, never responding but shuffling away quickly once seeing Alison back out of the window and slide the pane downward.

The lock clicks into place while the blonde’s lip is bitten between her teeth and never released, afraid she’ll smile so hard and slink down against her bedroom window like a teenager in some cheesy romance movie from the late 1990’s. 

She takes a breath while sitting on the edge of her bed, ready to fall backward and rub at her face to calm herself down, but her phone buzzes on the comforter next to where she’s perched. Her eyebrows crease, gingerly picking up the device to see that it’s a new notification from Emily.

She can’t be home already, Alison muses with a subtle laugh, but opens it, anyway. She smiles hard at its contents, though it comes with a matched, disagreeing eye-roll and an attitude that says she’s unbelievably done-for when it comes to how she feels with Emily ━ unbelievably comfortable, too:

_ “Your ‘disgusting,’ at-home look is cute, by the way.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What'd I tell ya? Look at Emily makin' that effort.
> 
> So, who's ready to see these two try to make this (magnificent) clusterfuck work out? I sure as hell am ━ pushing aside the fact that I've already read the story at least twice.
> 
> I think Alison's ready, too, no matter how complicated this is/will get. I mean, first of all, who'd be able to say no to Emily's cliché, "let's throw shit at the girl's window" advances, especially when they're both still swooning over each other? I call them "honeymooners" ━ and their smittenness is why it didn't take too long before Alison accepted the fact that she wants to hear Emily out/make things work.
> 
> But seriously: Alison is feeling… content (in a way) that this is happening, not only because she wants to take a chance with Emily, but because she's always been curious about the baby's identity ━ not to say she's willing to make their impending relationship about her pregnancy, as they're both going to be walking on eggshells when it comes to that information, at least for a small amount of time. On the other hand, despite the fact that Alison is okay with the baby's genetic identity, she also doesn't want to be so happy about it because that means she's in this way further than Emily is (or so she assumes), and that's terrifying. With that card-reveal came a huge magnetic pull that kinda destroyed the concept of time, like they went from young, playful crushes to two committed adults with a huge bond between them ━ and I don't want to compare them to married lovers, but, by all means, you really could tie that idea/emotion to both of them. Something was definitely kicked up a notch. Again, they won't own that, as of now, but… we'll see…
> 
> A baby is a major thing (and I really don't want to call them "things," but I can't exactly think of another term so bear with me), so I find that, if I were in this situation, I'd want to know at least a little history, as well. I think that's normal; backstories are interesting, and it makes you want to know more. In my opinion, as someone who's merely observing this, Alison would've been okay with the lack of knowledge (relating to the baby's DNA) if she had someone else to focus on (let's say Elliott, prior to him fucking up); they could've lived happily, and she'd be focused on making her own history with her own family, but then suddenly she was by herself and likely looking for companionship. With Emily… she now gets two pluses, being in the form of both a potential girlfriend, and an overall provider to know what her child will (halfway) look like, act like, etc.
> 
> Her friends seem to want her to pursue something with Emily, as well. If we're doing comparisons, in this case, CeCe holds qualities similar to Spencer. I think I often write her that way ━ or so I theorize whenever I go back and read my old work ━ and, for this scenario, it's pretty much a given. She's a tad cautious about it ━ not because of anything Emily has done, but because this is such a tricky situation ━ however wants Alison happy, and she and Aria are both fully aware of how the "anonymity" of the program somewhat picked at their friend no matter what she had signed up for. They want to be supportive, and that's how I like portraying them for this; no matter what happens, Alison needs support.
> 
> Where do we go from here? Well, there's that date on the horizon ━ though we unfortunately won't see it through-and-through (don't worry, better things appear in the future, I swear) ━ and they'll have an important discussion in regards to how they want to go about things together. Also! We'll briefly see Emily telling her friends. After that, we can have some fun.
> 
> I'll be back in four days (at the most) which will bring us to Thanksgiving (if you do anything to celebrate it), or just a usual Thursday (if ya don't). For now, I'll be revising and wrapping up the writing process.
> 
> Thanks for always supporting me, by the way. I don't think I've said that within this author's note yet. Have a nice week, and stop by my Tumblr ("capn-charlie") to say hi, if you'd like.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good day, my lovely turtle ducks.
> 
> Man, I miss The Legend of Korra ━ and PLL, of course, but that's a given.
> 
> Happy Thanksgiving (for those who celebrate)! Happy boring-ole'-Thursday (for those who do not, and/or for those who stay woke)! *distributes gingerbread cookies*
> 
> I've gotta say, I gained a little smirk whenever I received a review commenting on Emily's cliché, window-hitting date proposal. The reaction opposed the constant eye-roll that appeared whilst I was writing it because I was like #omg, "This is so corny." We all need a bit of that in our lives, though.
> 
> Anywho! I'll let you get on with it.

Her arms cross in front of her, a veil of defensiveness coming over her posture as she stands and leans against part of the wall in her living room. Spencer creases her forehead a few feet away, somewhat mimicking Emily’s stance without making herself seem incredibly conflicted ━ only pensive and sort of dumbfounded, like she’s piecing everything together little by little. Mona and a silent, still-stunned Hanna sit on the couch nearby, the dark-haired girl having a weird, twisted grin on her face that’s not really out of amusement, but more so disbelief.

“So, you’re dating the girl who’s carrying your baby?” Mona makes sure she’s hearing correctly, Emily wanting to roll her eyes hard at the question, but instead only halfheartedly whining like she’s already tired of talking about it ━ despite the fact that it’s been merely two minutes since the information spilt from her mouth like she threw up all nerves that have been bunched in her stomach.

“Don’t put it like that, please.”

“Well, she’s technically not wrong,” Spencer argues, making an obvious hand gesture with raised eyebrows and a face that portrays apprehension. 

“And we’re not actually dating yet,” her mutter is mainly absentminded, making a half-assed attempt at changing the subject back to her initial proclamation:  _ “I’m going out with Alison tonight.” _

Of course, after that, Spencer asked, _ “Is that what you interrupted my lunch-break for?” _ with eyes that told Emily not to try escaping what she truly wanted to say, and it didn’t help that she also pulled Mona and Hanna away from their jobs in order to call for a “friendly meeting.” So, with an astounding wave of reluctance and a shaky  _ “You know, maybe we shouldn’t do this right now,”  _ her friends coerced her into confessing, in the midst of prying with comforting notions such as  _ “You can tell us anything” _ and  _ “Are you okay?”  _ before each, underlying worry was cut off by Emily’s sudden statement:  _ “Alison is the person who the clinic anonymously paired me with.”  _

“Is it me, or did she totally go from loner to…  _ mommy _ ?” Hanna looks at Mona and Spencer with squinted eyes and scandalous, prodding features, purposely trying to poke at Emily’s nerves, and being successful when she earns a groan.

“Or dadd━” Mona’s oncoming, cut-off addition comes with a smirk that only strengthens when she’s interrupted by Emily’s voice raising.

“ _ Don’t _ start with the kinks,” she goes bug-eyed with warning. “I’m taking Alison, who just so happens to be the mother of my donor eggs, on a date. That’s the situation. I like her for  _ her _ , and I want to prove that,” her play-by-play turns into a ramble and silent jab at the whole situation, still not being sure if the blonde realizes that she truly does want to get to know her because of her overall personality and embodiment instead of any other, heightened intentions. 

“And,  _ yeah _ , we believe that, but this is still a responsibility,” Spencer shows the other brunette the reality of what surrounds the desired, impending relationship, Emily licking her lips in thought and bowing her head with a sigh. 

“I know that,” her voice is light once she speaks again, flattening afterwards. “Why do you think I called you over to discuss it?” she looks between her three friends. “I didn’t want to leave you in the dark, but I already made a decision.”

“Yeah, that’s not really something you write in a text,” Hanna mumbles, looking away with Spencer raising her eyebrows.

“I disagree,” pursing her lips, Mona squints one eye. “It would make for interesting usage of the confetti effect.”

Although Emily wants to snicker at the comment and image that flashes into her mind ━ thinking of what Spencer would’ve (emphatically) replied if she really spilt the beans via text ━ her mouth remains in a straight, somewhat disrupted line as she bites the inside of her lower lip, too lost in her own planning regarding tonight’s date; sure, the whole, baby circumstance has been clouding her brain, as well, but this night is mostly about what she feels for Alison ━ and, hopefully, the blonde’s mutual feelings. She’s serious about her, honestly, and it’s a sticky, sweet sensation in the pit of her stomach with bundles of tightly wound nerves consuming her insides with each tick of the clock, but, somehow, all she feels is…  _ readiness _ ; she wants to make something of this, just a relationship between the two of them ━ even if Alison isn’t ready to venture into any territory involving the baby. 

Emily, herself, feels like a kid again, in fact, like when she got ready for her first, actual date in high school with some girl that sat next to her in third period. This is so much greater, though, because she’s matured, and the idea of making something out of this feels like a massive weight lifting off her shoulders ━ not to say she’d admit it because, hell, she’s always vehemently claimed how “okay” she is with being alone. 

“We’re going out to dinner, and then seeing a movie,” her voice is heard as a zoned-out whisper before she can hardly think about what she’s saying, formerly leaving out the details, and it takes everyone by surprise.

“Oh, it’s an  _ actual  _ date?” when the initial shock passes, Hanna seems impressed with a smile, brown eyes lifting from her bowed-head state and looking guarded.

“Aw, someone’s got first-date jitters,” the girl sitting next to the blonde comments with a tone mimicking that which you’d use to talk to a puppy, Emily turning away with a deep breath.

“Things were going so smoothly before,” she shrugs. “I just want to get back to that.”

Her friends all note how serious she appears about this girl, only Spencer witnessing how they act together, firsthand. In response to the brief flashback that rolls through her mind, Spencer smiles warmly although the bit of caution doesn’t leave her guts, deciding to support Emily in both her relationship with Alison and the entire situation engulfing whatever they’re trying to build together.

“You will,” she finally assures the other brunette with that same, warm grin which Emily mirrors slowly but surely because Spencer’s approval means a great deal ━ as well as the others’. “But  _ I  _ have to get back to work. Text me.” 

Spencer goes to walk toward the door, turning on her heel to point at everyone ━ mostly Mona ━ with a lecturing “And no surprises via confetti effect.”

“Laser beams, then,” the dark-haired girl throws back just before the door slams behind Spencer’s body, no one knowing if she heard or if she only chose to ignore the statement with a probable eye-roll.

It doesn’t take long for silence to seep into the room, but it’s comfortable and accepting. Emily feels herself weaving in and out of her imagination, wondering what the night will entail once she meets up with Alison since they haven’t texted much ━ not including the small yet healing, back-and-forth conversation that ensued after the brunette dragged herself home last night, that is. 

Her eyes drift along the floor as she takes a breath, not knowing how she’s going to distract herself before it’s time to pick Alison up for a nice date. She should probably start with picking a place to eat; her back stiffens at the thought with her eyes going wide, completely forgetting that she hasn’t actually planned a damn thing.

She looks up for the first time in minutes, immediately catching Mona and Hanna staring at her with smiles that say they’re up to no good. It makes Emily feel far more uneasy than prior, body language outright fearful while she wants to take a step back. 

“What?” her voice comes out through a wavering laugh, only seeing the two turn to each other before sharing a nod and standing up.

They walk toward her with devious appearances and shuffling feet, both grabbing her by an arm with Emily frowning at the motion of being guided to the further end of her apartment.

“Every good date starts with dressing to impress.”

 

X X X

 

As they bound through the doorway and they’re enclosed in Alison’s formerly dark apartment, now lit by a table lamp near the couch, Emily snickers and shakes her head, being faced by the blonde who puts her hands on her hips with a semi-lecturing, “are you done yet?” kind of look on her face since the other girl has recently started to poke fun at her, due to an instance which happened at the theater. 

“Maybe I  _ should  _ be scared of what you can do,” the brunette gains a sneaky smirk. “I’ve never seen someone manage to choke another person from more than ten feet away.”

“ _ Okay _ ,” Alison chuckles with accusatory eyes that tell her the implication is silly, raising her chin to take a breath, “it’s not my fault she choked on a piece of popcorn.”

Emily’s smirk deepens, though her cheeks seem reddened from the mixture of entertainment and self-enjoyment.

Turning away, the blonde continues with a mumble, “She was probably trying to stuff her face to make it look like she wasn’t constantly staring at you all night,” whilst crossing her arms across her chest.

Her tone is obvious, Emily picking up on what’s within and asking, “Were you jealous?” while already knowing the answer, her smug yet “you know you want to admit it,” prying smirk turning into a subtle grin that makes Alison’s tongue press to her inner cheek.

Although it’s clear that, yeah, her statement held an overwhelming amount of jealousy, Alison refuses to give Emily the satisfaction of hearing a surrender in the playful banter, ultimately leaving herself to look like she’s been caught red-handed before shifting her jaw, bowing her head, and slumping her arms at her sides. She looks up within seconds, her new posture housing a deep inhale that she won’t let out just yet, and finally relaxes once the eye contact they conjure up instantly deflates her reluctance. 

“I’m going to get changed,” her notifying tone is airy, gingerly, backwardly advancing toward her bedroom with Emily lingering in the midst of the living room, seven feet of space separating them. “Would you like to borrow some shorts? It’s kinda warm out. Plus, those jeans look a little…  _ uncomfortable _ ,” blue eyes roam Emily’s appearance, constantly admiring ━ or gawking at ━ her choice of outfit: an opened, flannel button-up covering a grey shirt with a deep v-shaped neckline, bottomed with the smoothest-looking, light-colored jeans. 

“Uh, sure,” with the way Alison is preying on her, she can’t come up with a witty remark or merely point out the fact that the girl hadn’t blinked for an extended amount of time, so her drawled-out answer gets a hidden grin from the blonde who soon disappears behind her bedroom door.

Standing in the living room, Emily looks around, a permanent yet subtle smile lingering over her mouth because she feels so lively and wholesome — a heavy reminder of how smoothly the night has gone. 

Admittedly, the two initially acted somewhat awkward ━ probably a result of first-real-date jitters like Mona had not-so-tactfully accused ━ but, once they arrived at the casual yet date-night-approved restaurant, their time together was easing into how it had been before. Long forgotten were the circumstances of how they’re truly connected, both simply wanting to enjoy themselves and start something solid together ━ and it’s been evident through how they act and speak with one another.

Dinner went well, making mindless chitchat and exchanging stories while straying away from everything that could potentially put a damper on their night together when it was only just beginning. They made it to the movie theater in no time, the pair forgetting to discuss what they’d like to see prior to reaching the ticketbooth. In the end, they purchased tickets to view a movie which they never heard of, declaring that, since neither of them knew what it’s about, they’ll be able to be confused together. Emily smiles at the memory, shaking her head and trying to stop her cheeks from warming up because she knows Alison will be exiting her bedroom at any moment.

She clears her throat, instead focusing on replaying the rest of their date in her mind because it’s something she’ll be remembering for a while, willingly re-feeling the thick, wanting tension between them as an armrest separated their bodies even though the two wished they’d gain some confidence to lift it upward so they’d be closer. It took thirty minutes into the movie and a variety of side-eyes before Alison mentally declared, “Fuck it,” and removed the armrest from between them, only shifting closer toward Emily and partly snuggling up to her without moving too fast, too soon. The brunette obviously didn’t mind, smiling when her date wasn’t looking at her because she didn’t want to seem overly enthused by the action, and they attempted to focus on the movie through distracted hearts and eyes ━ though Alison’s obstacles were both because of Emily’s existence and the fact that some girl four rows in front of them wouldn’t stop glancing over her shoulder with a pretty telling, flirtatious yet not outrageously prominent smile on her face.

Emily could tell Alison noticed the girl’s staring although she, herself, was trying to ignore it, the blonde’s posture stiffening until she was shifting upwards in her seat, taking a deep breath, and un-cuddling her date. Just barely looking at Alison, the brunette kept the softest, most childish grin on her face, bowing her head in a way that the other girl would’ve giggled at if she wasn’t so irritated, and finally whispered,  _ “Maybe she keeps looking at  _ you _.” _

Alison knew that wasn’t true, but ended up smiling with a tight shape that portrayed sheer annoyance of the situation accompanied by a relenting attitude, not wanting to ruin their date by getting overly moody. To keep her frustrations at bay, Alison shifted her jaw and made a bigger move, looking behind her and stealing Emily’s arm so she could drape it around her own shoulders. She cuddled up to Emily more than minutes beforehand, feeling the girl’s grip comfortingly tighten around her so she could be pulled even closer.

If Emily’s being honest, she could’ve kissed Alison, in that moment, and she really wanted to. In fact, she knew it was a mutual feeling and realizes now that she should’ve capitalized on it, but the notion of not overstepping any boundaries popped into her mind, telling her to keep things at a caring pace, on Alison’s behalf; if the blonde wants things to move faster, she’ll either say something, or make it known. Baby steps, Emily thinks ━  _ without  _ giving too much thought to the pun. 

Either way, it seems the night has exceeded Alison’s expectations, Emily’s guess mainly coming from the fact that, once they left the theater hand-in-hand, they got back to the car, and the blonde leaned against it, tilting her head to the side with sweet, fluttering eyelashes while saying,  _ “I don’t feel like letting tonight end yet.”  _

Another thought that occured, however, is that they haven’t discussed what this is and what was found out the other day, as of now, and Emily noticed Alison’s mouth open and close a few times while on the way home as if she wanted to say something that could be less than enjoyable to oppose the wonderful date they just had. Emily didn’t mention it, mostly because she didn’t want to rush the girl into saying anything, nor did she want to corner her ━ or maybe the brunette just doesn’t know how to face potential rejection yet, this whole, egg-donor situation putting a big stipulation on their relationship, no matter how often she tries to stress that it doesn’t.

Emily swallows hard when her throat tightens up, but she doesn’t grab onto the chance of getting sucked into a realm of shitty thoughts because, in an instant, a pair of soft shorts are being tossed at her, landing partly on her head while draping over one eye. 

Alison giggles and the brunette frowns while taking the garment in her fist, the blonde’s lower lip getting trapped between her teeth in a bashful manner when she’s given cheeks that display a mild shade of shy guilt for being caught so zoned out.

“Thank you,” when Emily begins walking toward the bathroom, she turns back to throw the gratitude over her shoulder as if she forgot how to communicate properly, Alison almost surprised that she doesn’t collide with the door before slinking into the room to change.

Once Alison is alone, her hands brush against her own pajama shorts and newly thrown-on, cheap t-shirt with some colorful design printed across the front, making sure she looks okay for Emily even though it’s nearing eleven o’clock, and she’s usually looking like she’s been locked in a dark room for five days, by now. 

She finishes “fixing” her outfit, dragging her body over to the couch and all but throwing herself onto the cushion with a tired thud, a spark of annoyance coursing through her veins at how her energy depletes way faster than it used to, only after a lone month of pregnancy. Her throat bubbles with a groan that doesn’t come out, eyes widening as she takes a breath before her lips curve into a guilty grin with a chuckle disrupting her features, bringing her hands up to her face and covering her eyes when the entertained thought of blaming Emily for her body’s exhaustion rattles around within her mind.

She tries to push the thought away while rubbing the heels of her palms against her eyes; that’s way too big of a step for two people who have recently met — even if she were to say it as a joke. Nevertheless, it’s a step she’d like to look into, in time; Alison is willing to try things out and make things work, but only if Emily is, as well, and it’s something they need to talk about. She grimaces at the idea of discussing such heavy matters when her body just wants to slump against the cushions, but every thought is derailed when the latch on the bathroom door sounds before Emily is stepping out.

Alison only glances over her shoulder before returning to her former position, facing the TV, when she sees her shorts on Emily, internally calling herself an idiot because the sight is so,  _ so  _ satisfying, and the brunette’s “comfortable look” makes something flutter in her chest.

“Do you want or need anything?” Emily asks, lingering in the kitchen behind where Alison sits on the couch, and the blonde laughs at the question with furrowed, judgmental eyebrows. 

“I should be asking  _ you  _ that,” she looks backward, the brunette acting like she’s glued to where she stands with pointed eyes that all but lecture that she’s not going to sit down until she gets an answer.

With a breath, Alison replies, “What I want is for you to sit down,” as a kind, understanding yet warmly pleading grin curves her mouth, eyes sparkling.

Emily smiles and accepts the request with a nod, shuffling over to where Alison sits on the couch and immediately getting situated so they’re facing each other with content appearances and equally tired eyes, a lone table lamp illuminating the space just enough to see without being overbearing.

“I had a nice time tonight,” Alison admits with a genuinity that Emily matches. “Thanks.”

“Will… we be doing it again?” she sounds hopeful, not waiting too long to ask because, although she usually doesn’t want to sound so eager, she can’t help herself.

“We will,” her overall enthusiasm and timid question make the blonde want to give her a kiss to seal the deal, however she doesn’t move, and instead adds, “but only if you let me pay, next time.”

The request makes Emily study her features as her eyes narrow, begging her to reconsider. Alison, however, doesn’t waver her adamancy, and only tilts her head to the side with raised eyebrows that say she’s not going to cave, the brunette relenting with a sigh and a head-nod while a triumphant smirk forms on the other girl’s mouth. It slowly dilutes, after seconds, and they exchange glances with their eyes trying to focus even though it gets difficult when they’ve both wanted to kiss for the first time since they were smacked in the face with a revelation so massive, Alison ultimately having to nibble her bottom lip, take a breath, and break the ice with a whispered “Did  _ you _ have a nice night?”

“Is that a serious question?” Emily keeps her voice equally as low, the other girl initially laughing but nodding with a hum. 

At the response, Emily assures, “The best night,” with traces of apprehension due to the newness of how smitten she’s been feeling, continuously hoping Alison feels the same.

Two cushions away, Alison smiles and sees Emily’s eyes dart to her lips, wanting to put the girl on the spot in hopes that it derives a new sensation of playfulness and competition of who will give in, first, but can’t find her voice. On the other hand, maybe that’s a good thing; she could just crawl over to Emily and  _ intentionally  _ not use any words, but, again, feels glued to where she sits, frozen and stuck in tension-infused silence. 

The brunette’s gaze falters, however, and turns into something a little more cautious, Alison noting each turn of her attitude and how Emily’s smile reappears before fading again. She wants to ask what she’s thinking, Emily’s eyes looking childish through the dimness of the air, but doesn’t get the chance because, through a half-assed, “I can’t believe I’m actually speaking my mind” kind of giggle, the brunette straightens her back out and opens her mouth.

“Can I ask a weird question?” before Alison can really give her the go-ahead, Emily expands on her request. “And it may come off as  _ kinda  _ offensive, but I  _ really  _ don’t mean it that way,” her voice squeaks in premature defense, trailing off and muttering, “It’s just been on my mind, amongst other things.”

Alison laughs at her rambling, “That’s a great opening,” flashing her a cute smile. “Okay, shoot.”

“Why me? Like, why… my DNA?” Emily looks away, hoping she didn’t offend Alison so soon. “I just mean that… I know parents usually want to find donors that at least resemble what they look like, or personalization qualities, and we don’t look all that similar,” it ends with a nervous chuckle, the brunette going wide-eyed for a split second.

The girl’s laughter from before returns, this time being fuller and all smiley before lessening her entertainment, taking a breath, and clearing her throat to gain a seriousness that’ll hopefully answer Emily’s question.

“You have a good point,” Alison admits before pausing, narrowing her eyes at the cushion between them, and thinking back. “We weren’t trying to find someone similar to me. It was kinda supposed to be like… I don’t know,” she's at a loss, pursing her lips and shrugging one shoulder. “I think we were more so looking for someone who sounded like the best fit, or matched what we wanted.”

As the words come from her heart rather than the thoughts she was just harping on, Alison realizes how deep everything sounds and doesn’t know how to escape the feeling she gets inside her gut, soon forcing herself to backtrack with a joking yet basically serious “Maybe I just found the genetics attractive-sounding.”

Emily squints while moving her head to the side so she’s somewhat turned away from Alison, a heavy smirk on her face that covers up the fact that she’s acquired the same, fuzzy feeling within her body once she heard the blonde’s double-meaning words, desperately trying to push the emotion away because, for all she knows, the girl may not have meant to express what she said in that longing way. 

“I don’t know what it was,” when Alison’s voice returns quieter, she seems bashful. “ _ I _ made the choice, really. Elliott agreed, yeah, but… something caught my eye,” a blue gaze peers upward as her chin remains tilted down toward the couch cushion, smiling with a constant shyness. “You did, I guess.”

She’s given a smile, “In a way.”

Her hesitation and overall, guarded mindset are picked up on, Emily noticing that she’s not the only one having a hard time walking the fine line of “should I mention it, or not?” when so many thoughts and ideas keep nipping at their minds.

They look at each other, both paying attention to one another’s features, movements, and hidden emotions as much as they can from where they sit with a little over two feet of fabric keeping them apart. If you asked either one of them, they’d admit that the tension has grown to an insane, unbearable level, but neither feel the readiness in order to break the silence and frustration of wanting to be kissed, leaving them to share glances that are far more weighted than normal. It doesn’t help when Alison bites her lower lip, Emily watching a newer, airy and relaxed grin cross the girl’s heart-shaped mouth with a certain easiness to the expression. In response, Emily matches it, but shakes her head in a form of dumbfoundedness, enthralled by the girl’s personality and how she carries herself.

Alison squints in slight confusion, questioning Emily without voicing her wonders, and gets an answer after five seconds longer, the brunette initially seeming so stumped with slouched shoulders and a still-shaking head.

“How do you manage to stay so…  _ calm _ ?” 

“You think I’m calm?” it comes with a smirk, Emily raising her eyebrows to express a forceful, unspoken answer in a way that also displays how it’s impressive and unbelievable. 

“I honestly have no clue,” Alison inhales deeply, looking toward the ceiling to figure out how to explain herself. “I wake up, I take a breath, and I usually remember everything that’s recently happened, but,  _ luckily _ , it’s never able to really get to me.”

Emily snuggles against the back of the couch while still sitting up, listening to each and every detail of the girl’s reasoning.

“I think, after the second week of being without Elliott, and acknowledging what I have to deal with  _ alone _ , I just kinda told myself that I have to push through it. I can’t let it ruin me, even if most people would,” she pauses, pursing her lips and nodding, more so to herself. “And, with that, I became happier. Well, not  _ happy _ , per se, but… content. Accepting,” her eyes drift to Emily with a newer smile.

Brown eyes study her, Emily’s face matching her lightness ━ until Alison’s contribution falters in a mindless way.

“Two weeks,” her smile continues to die down, however not in a sad way, and she raises her eyebrows in a form of dark amusement. “It only took me two weeks to realize that I don’t need him, and never really did. Or maybe I already knew, deep down,” the final option is displayed, speaking to herself. 

Emily gives her sympathetic eyes.

“Sometimes I wonder if I ever loved him, at all, or if I was only grateful for how he made me look at life differently,” Alison gives herself the suggestion as if Emily left the room, zoned in on the cushion like prior. “Maybe he was just a temporary stand-in for whoever I’m supposed to end up with,” it’s muttered, but her words spark life in her nerves again, suddenly feeling caught off-guard by what she said while side-eying Emily once she turns her head to evade the girl’s gaze for a moment, taking a breath.

“But, yeah, I’m okay,” Alison regains her smile, hoping Emily doesn’t question what she just said.

Luckily, the brunette just stares at her, a smile only hidden behind her eyes while noting Alison’s need to escape the topic. Before too long, Emily begins to nod her head with a slowness to the motion, constantly floored by the girl in front of her. 

“You’re incredible,” she finally compliments, adamant and leaving no room for argument. “Everything you’ve been through, and what you’re dealing with now…” her mouth opens and closes. “I couldn’t even go to the clinic alone, so I made Hanna come with me. I couldn’t go through that process, or sign papers without having my hands shake. I knew I’d be making someone happy━or, well,  _ hopefully _ ━but it was nerve-wracking.”

Alison picks up on the usage of “hopefully” and doesn’t know if she should smile or bite her lower lip, dismissing the conflict while listening to a finishing, convictive, “ _ No one  _ should have to go through what you’re going through, alone, Alison,” that makes her eyes meet a pleading shade of brown.

“I know,” despite Emily’s care, she guards herself and forces her voice to sound universally understanding with a sad smile. “Sometimes they have to, though.”

“No,” again, with adamancy, Emily shakes her head. “This isn’t a time when you’re allowed to be stubborn. This isn’t me trying to pay for your prescription at the pharmacy, and, even then, you know I wouldn’t accept that,” it ends with a shaky laugh, the brunette looking more careful about her words than anything, but still as if she knows what she wants to say and refuses to be deterred. 

Alison stares at her, throat tightening as she listens.

“You’re not alone,” the idea is reinforced. “I’m not going to let you be alone. I told you that before.”

“I…” she wants to say she appreciates it like she had the other day ━ even with the knowledge that this is much deeper than it was back then ━ but cuts herself off. “Emily, I don’t want you to feel obligated to care for me in any way, shape, or form. Even if it’s part you,” the addition makes their hearts skip a lone beat. “And I’m not saying it because I don’t want you here, but because it’s not your cross to bear.”

“I knew, when I was in that clinic, that I’d be giving up my rights to rub my nose in this child’s business, even if I ever found them again which, I was  _ told _ , is a far-fetched chance,” Emily recalls, wanting to roll her eyes at the universe, “so, if you honestly  _ don’t  _ want me here, I won’t be.”

Her declaration is finished with a single, serious nod, afterwards taking a breath and aligning her eyes with Alison’s so she can get this out without the girl trying to push away the idea of her sticking around. Alison waits, Emily looking at her with eyes that beg her to listen, and she finally sees the girl ready to end her thought.

Emily keeps her voice even, staring into blue, attentive eyes, “But, if it’s up to me, I  _ want  _ to be here.”

The words and how convictive they are resonate within Alison, digging deep and extracting a feeling that, okay, maybe she  _ can  _ get used to. Her skin feels warmer even though a chill ghosts over, just looking at Emily and letting everything sink in with a newness that’s attractive and enticing ━ also something she looks forward to drowning in.

_ Willingly _ .

Alison catches herself getting lost while staring at Emily’s lips as the other girl mirrors the struggle, forcing her captivated, blue gaze away before it flips back like there’s no use in trying to stop it ━ so, finally, she doesn’t keep herself on a leash any longer. 

Without a single word falling from her lips in order to counter the brunette’s recent claims and confessions, the blonde leaves a smile on her face while beginning to shift closer with movements that feel like they’re happening in slow motion, her hands sliding along Emily’s folded legs to carefully pull herself forward. 

She tilts her chin downward and licks her lips with a body language that’s intentful as the cushion between them is suddenly weighed down with both girls moving closer to one another, a result of Emily catching the decisive look in the blonde’s eye with fingertips pushing into her skin while mentally declaring that it’s only fair if she displays her wants, as well. Her appearance gains the same, nervous yet determined grin while leaning in until there’s hardly three inches between their mouths with their knees brushing and Alison’s hands still holding onto her legs so she doesn’t fall forward. 

For a second or two, neither wants to be the one who seals the gap between them by locking their lips, drumming up more tension that’s infused with a tickling sensation when Alison bumps her nose against Emily’s in a silent dare that tells her to twist her declarative, “I want to be here” admission into a physical action.

The brunette nods at nothing in particular, her breath halting. Once she feels her lips touch Alison’s for the first time in what seems like weeks, their delicate skin sticking together when she doesn’t push forward all too quickly, she swears all the breath she’s been holding comes out through a shaky, done-for laugh that’s not heard. 

Alison, on the other hand, waits for a pressure more solid and passionate without feeling the push to rush things, timidly smiling with not even an inch of space between them, but her expression is erased when Emily captures her lips with a little, mental shove that tells her to accept the blonde’s unvoiced dare and put her words to the test.

It feels like their first kiss all over again, being short yet steady, sweet and calm, but truly wanted and heated. Alison sighs into it, nails absentmindedly scraping Emily’s skin while her palms linger on the girl’s legs, and two, elongated pecks are shared with closed eyes and blissful facades that cover their nerves and desire to deepen everything so quickly. 

When they back up just enough to look at one another, Alison takes a breath, and Emily sees it, the girl appearing overly satisfied with the short relief of built-up pressure, almost as if she’s been keeping herself from falling into this feeling for days ━ because, really, she has been. Now, however, it’s feeling far past worth it, and every drop of emotion is starting to spill over with wants and needs to embrace again ━ without departing, this time.

Emily leans in with more confidence, wanting to kiss Alison over and over, but it’s broken as soon as it starts, on her own accord, and she only lingers with her lips brushing against the other girl’s while she speaks.

“Will you let me stick around?” she asks, hoping to get the question out while noticing that Alison follows her backwards, not wanting to let Emily speak anymore and getting a breathy laugh from the brunette who, soon, ends up on her back without an answer.

Alison kisses her with more pressure that’s matched with no trouble whatsoever, lying on top of Emily with the soft cushions beneath their bodies. She doesn’t want to totally let go of the girl’s question, however, because she knows that it’s vital to move them forward, and ends up nodding into the next, heated kiss with an affirmative hum, feeling the brunette smile against her mouth even though she tries to delay her growing expression. 

The curve of her lips makes the blonde fall back down to reality for a moment or two because, hell, she can’t deny that she feels it, as well, putting some space between them while lying comfortably upon a warm body with her leg fallen between the girl’s thighs as the other shifts against the back of the couch, and she looks into brown, curious yet lovable eyes that don’t expose any dangers or mysteries; Emily appears completely open and genuine with her words and actions, as well as a persona that’s trusting, caring, and understanding, just like Alison needs.

“Do you really want to try and make this work?” without a trace of disagreement, Alison makes sure they’re on the same page, getting sparkling eyes, a small wave of hesitation in the embodiment of calmness, and a timid kiss on her mouth that hardly feels like it’s pressed against her, at first.

Her left hand slinks up the brunette’s body until it’s cupping her cheek with careful fingertips, extending the sticky, cautious peck. The word “Please” is sounded against her lips once the slow pace begins to collapse and break off into the former, stashed-away heat with purposeful actions and Emily’s hands dragging up her back, Alison replying a short “Okay” that’s only spoken so the conversation ends once and for all.

Nails scratch up and down her back in patterns as they kiss, left hand more-firmly holding onto Emily’s cheek with her right arm holding herself up, digging into the cushion beneath the girl’s body. The fingers on her back only move in certain places, lingering mostly around the center or near her hips, almost like Emily is too nervous to move any further, but Alison tries her best to destroy that wall by slipping her tongue past the brunette’s to elicit a content sigh. The sound, alone, makes Alison’s body feel warmer and tightly wound, begging to have release once Emily, after another minute, gets the hint and slides her hands downward until they’re squeezing the blonde’s ass through her pajama shorts, earning an immediate and elongated, appeased half-groan that comes with a devious grin. Alison bites down on Emily’s lower lip and tugs, hearing a soft hiss before she wishes to tend to her mouth again.

It only takes a three-second, “I want to look into your eyes” type of pause in action for Alison to notice that her exhaustion has spread into her limbs ever since her skin heated up, like everything built up and turned into a bundle of tangled wires that want to be diffused even though there’s no way to keep her energy afloat while doing so. For a while, she forgot about it, but being on top of Emily and having her libido seemingly spike out of absolute,  _ uncalled-for  _ nowhere puts everything into perspective, trying to slow herself down for the sake of her health and their newfound relationship.

She feels careful lips against hers, almost like Emily senses her tiredness and tries to dwindle their desires by trailing the kiss off into pecks with Alison complying ━ albeit the blonde assists with a dopey grin that apologizes, much like days ago, for acting so forward.

“I don’t want to ruin this by seeming so needy, I’m sorry,” she giggles and buries her face into Emily’s neck, feeling arms instantly wrap around her lower back in a makeshift hug. 

“It’s okay,” the diluted laugh is returned. “I like feeling wanted,” it comes through a silly, triumphant tone, Alison halfheartedly rolling her eyes with a joking, dismissive snicker until she’s turning to place a short, solid kiss near the girl’s ear.

Once she takes a breath, Alison falls to the side of Emily so she’s between the brunette’s heated body and the back of the couch. She cuddles up to her with no hesitation, Emily raising her arm somewhere above so she can fiddle with the lamp’s switch before darkening the room, soon pulling Alison closer.

“Do you want to spend the night?” she nuzzles her head against the girl’s chest, leg draping over Emily’s so they’re loosely tangled. “It’s late.”

“Oh, is that your reason for asking?” as always, her question earns a teased answer. 

“Is that not good enough for you?”

“Mm,” Emily makes a thinking face, and Alison leans up on her elbow before moving closer so her body is nearly on the brunette’s once more.

She brings Emily’s face to hers through a deliberate motion, soon whispering against her lips, “I want you…” an intentional pause breaks her sentence, smirk deepening as she adds, “to stay over.” 

“That’s better.”

Before they can capitalize on anything else, or Alison lies back down, Emily looks into her eyes while tenderly brushing some hair behind her ear, commenting, “You look tired.”

In immediate response, Alison raises her eyebrows before blinking hard with a soft laugh, “Is it that obvious?”

“A little bit,” it comes with a smile.

“I’m sorry,” Alison cuddles back up to the girl, getting comfortable within the short amount of time after she hits the cushions again.

“Don’t ever apologize for that,” she dismisses her apology with a gentleness. “Do you want to go to bed?”

“If you’re not comfortable enough, we can,” the blonde raises her chin to look at Emily. “Otherwise, I don’t want to move,” adjusting her body, she clings to the girl lying pressed against the couch, an arm tightening around her in the most unbelievably inviting way. 

“I’m fine,” Emily laughs while leaning her cheek against the top of Alison’s head, side-eyeing the back of the couch and carefully reaching out when she sees a blanket draped across the furniture’s material. 

With a small hum, Alison accepts the blanket atop their bodies, sporting a smile and overall fulfilled attitude, happy with the way things turned out tonight without expecting them to unfold so smoothly. 

Maybe this really can work out, she thinks, no matter who they are or what they’re dealing with. 

This morning, she woke up with nerves in her stomach and the knowledge that she’d be coming face to face with Emily once their date-time arrived, only to hinder on what they’d discuss ━ or if they’d talk about  _ anything _ . Tomorrow morning, she’ll be waking up to Emily lying next to her ━ mostly beneath her ━ with a smile on her face once she remembers what they agreed on tonight and how she now gets to call the brunette her girlfriend. 

Alison smiles at the concept, not wasting another second before leaning up and pressing a kiss to Emily’s cheek, only to be granted one to her lips before laying her head back down onto her girlfriend’s chest and listening to her heartbeat. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Heart eyes at these two*
> 
> So, things are lookin' up for the both of them/their relationship/how they're going to attempt to make things work. I'll tell you now: their relationship isn't going to get rocky, really, nor will we have a shit-load of drama (in fact, I feel like there's none ━ aside from jealousy which we saw a bit of here, in flashback-form), but there is a purpose and some "conflicts" to get past. After all, what's a plot without a destination?
> 
> With that being said, I'll explain what we're bound to see (without spoiling a whole lot, if any): this story, in a way, is going to have two, general levels of their relationship. I say that because, first, we have to reach a point where they're comfortable as two individuals starting a relationship, and this completely disregards their age and the surrounding circumstances. After that, we'll work on "family life," and it's something to look forward to. For now, they'll be somewhat walking on eggshells because, quite honestly, they both want the same thing, but neither are about to let it be known verbally due to how careful they are with each other; while they're out to prove that their relationship has nothing to do with the baby, it somewhat backfires and makes them really timid, hoping they don't cross any lines. I find it sweet, though, and I hope you do too.
> 
> And, as we saw here, no matter how hard they wish they could stay away from mentioning the "surrounding circumstances" (as I keep calling them, sorry), it's difficult. The good thing is… clearly, like a point or two during this update, we see that they're able to relatively discuss the baby without sheer awkwardness. That's the first step, I'd suppose. They're going to have to learn how to navigate this new relationship with the knowledge they have, even if we're screaming at them to just… let shit happen.
> 
> Also, Emily's friends are now aware of what's going on. I think, as per usual, Spencer is more apprehensive about the situation even though she's pushing herself to comprehend and accept it because, truly, she respects Emily's judgement and knows she can make her own decisions. Like Alison, Emily is going to need support, and her friends are going to be that aspect, no matter what, which is something I really wanted to show ━ and it'll continue to be portrayed, throughout the story, supporting Emily as much as CeCe and Aria have Alison's back. Side note: Although Hanna's statement of "Is it me, or did she totally go from loner to… mommy?" was quite… blunt (or maybe not), I'd be inclined to agree; Emily has gone from the mindset of "whatever happens, happens" to "this is what I want to happen, and this is where I feel I'm supposed to be." Already, she's taken on this big attachment to Alison (for more than one reason), and, deep down, the baby ━ again, not that she'll willingly admit that, just yet.
> 
> Anyway, in a broad recollection, these two had a nice date, and a sweet, cuddly ending that ultimately defined their relationship. Chapter eight will pick up where we left off here (the next morning, technically), and they take some bigger steps together in an update that's more so "plotless fluff" than anything ━ still… important.
> 
> Now, I urge you to go eat food 'til you're ten levels past content, or just enjoy yourself. Yes, I know it's not a holiday for everyone, but who's to say you can't still revel in the idea that the weekend is quickly approaching? Also, if holidays (whether or not they're spent with family) tend to be hell for you, I hope you can find a safe place to sit and keep to yourself until it's over. I'll be thinking of you.
> 
> Speaking of… have a nice weekend, and I'll see you on Monday.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to today's edition of Never Enough Fluff (trademark).
> 
> I hope everyone had a great Turkey Day (again, if ya celebrated), and I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. Unfortunately, today is Monday, but there's an upside!
> 
> You've got me to provide some much-needed fluff!
> 
> Dive right in, folks.

The cushion of the couch shifts downward, causing Emily to roll ever-so-slightly to the side where Alison’s body slept for hours beforehand, and a cool breeze follows the blanket being flipped off one of her legs.

Emily closes her eyes harder when she’s awake enough to be disrupted by the sunlight streaming through the apartment’s windows and blinds, only allowing her sleepy state to be poked at a bit more when she hears the bathroom door all but slam. She wonders if her ears are playing tricks on her, thinking the sound didn’t realistically echo against the floor, but the sudden remembrance of Alison’s not-so-peachy, sickly mornings extracts an unheard “aha!” moment, her hands coming up to her face, rubbing her eyes, and grasping the cushion so she can force her body upward.

A grimace paves its way across her mouth, more like that of sympathy for the girl who ━ now that Emily is more awake and knows better ━ skittered across the floor and into the bathroom with determination to not disturb their serene resting, and she’s sitting perched on the edge of the couch cushion until she gets more blood flowing in her legs in order to walk across the floor.

Her feet obviously drag, creating a soft, shuffling sound against the smooth floor, and her limbs feel achy from the sound sleep she achieved with the girl next to her. She smiles, remembering the times Alison cuddled closer without being the least bit awake, Emily constantly imagining the girl’s signature grin, longing to open her eyes and see it again.

The fluffy reminiscing is broken apart when she hears a thump come from the bathroom, followed by a dreadful, muttered “Fuck.” Emily’s subtle, caring pout comes through again, wondering if there’s anything she can do, but, at the same time, wanting to give Alison some space.

To occupy herself, her feet take her more into the kitchen area, only steps away from the bathroom door, and she nimbly reaches for the fridge to find an assortment of Gatorade bottles. Her cheeks fullen at the sight, inviting an eye-roll that’s more so adoring than anything; there’s just something perfect about remembering their first encounter (and their second), Alison’s Gatorade “obsession” being a prominent symbol of when they initially met.

With a split-second, barely formed lip-bite that came in a moment of thought and wondering, Emily grabs one of the blue-colored drinks and brings it to the door of the bathroom, only leaning against the wall, at first. She opens her mouth but closes it soon after, still tiptoeing around the idea of disturbing Alison, feeling at-risk when putting the girl on the spot.

Pushing away the negative outcomes, Emily decides that it’s better to show she cares rather than linger near the door like some creep, and she uses the knuckle of her pointer finger to knock on the barrier, not bothering to ask if she’s okay since it’s already pretty evident, but voicing her concerns with an offering “Do you need anything?”

She doesn’t get an answer, her question being responded to only by the sound of the toilet flushing and the faucet rushing water with small splashes here and there. Waiting, her eyes stare at the floor in front of the door with the bottle partly behind her back, hoping that she didn’t overstep and pry too hard by notifying the girl that she’s standing not even a foot away from the room.

Alison destroys her self-directed, pessimistic accusations, however, when she steps out of the confined room with an exaggerated, dramatic face that says she’s more so feeling disgusted with herself than anything else. It gives Emily a sense of comfortability on both of their parts; Alison doesn’t seem like she’s feeling awkward about being taken care of, nor does she attempt to escape the situation by brushing past her and putting some distance between them, and that theory is proved solid when the blonde gives her a half-assed shrug and a sad “No, thanks” to answer her question from before.

“Not even Gatorade?” bringing her arm up, she displays the bottle for Alison to see, the girl immediately cracking a small grin and taking it with shy eyes and a dumbfounded, breathy chuckle.

“How’d you know?”

“I kind of put two and two together after seeing you buy a lot,” Emily confesses, looking at the bottle wrapped in Alison’s fingers before glancing into eyes that nearly match the liquid’s color. “Plus, I know a lot of people crave specific things when pregnant, and I’m going to guess your go-to is Gatorade.”

The knack for remembering details makes Alison smile heavily, suddenly feeling compelled to lean against Emily for physical support. She bends her arms and holds the bottle nearby, shuffling closer until the brunette takes the hint and brings her in further for a deep, warm hug. A kiss is placed to her head, a gesture which she wasn’t expecting, and it makes her nuzzle her face deeper into the warm skin of Emily’s neck. Her body relaxes, shoulders slumping from the knots untangling within, her arms bent against the other girl’s chest as she’s held in place.

Her overall comfortability takes her by surprise, formerly sitting in the bathroom and trying to figure out how to escape while playing it off as nothing. It’s not that she doesn’t want to be cared for, but that she feels disgusted with herself, also thinking, just a few minutes ago, about jumping into the shower and afterwards exiting like a brand new person.

Now, all she can do is smile and revel in the warmth surrounding her, trusting Emily enough to know that she won’t be overly repulsed by anything ━ no matter how loudly Alison’s thoughts scream it isn’t natural when, deep down, she knows this entire period of growth is going to be stupidly altering while also part of life.

“So, there’s nothing else I can do to make you feel better?” Emily’s voice is kind, sweet, and collected, staying on the side of caring without crossing a line and being overbearing. “There’s nothing you want when you’re feeling nauseas, food-wise?”

“Not really,” their bodies untangle when Alison takes a step back. “I usually wait half an hour before attempting to eat anything.”

“Okay, we can just relax, in the meantime,” she tries to lighten the mood ━ not to say it was very saddened, in the first place ━ and the blonde almost accepts the idea before stopping herself, looking at Emily with a newfound, creased forehead, and voicing her fresh, before-forgotten offer.

“Do you want me to make _you_ something to eat?”

“No, don’t worry. If I get hungry, I’ll take care of it,” it comes with a small, lighthearted laugh at Alison’s determination to push her own needs to the side. “You should rest.”

Her up-and-down look-over makes Alison smile weakly, tilting her chin downward before regaining a face-to-face, knowing posture.

“I look terrible, don’t I?” she slightly whines, already knowing the answer when Emily makes a joking but kinda-serious, “yikes” face.

“Right now, a little,” the brunette admits before looking past Alison to gesture at the couch. “Go get comfortable. I’ll be right there.”

She shuffles an inch or so to the right until she’s hitting the bathroom door, Alison unscrewing the cap to her Gatorade and taking a tiny sip while approaching the couch.

Her body is thrown onto the cushions, much like the night before, and her head leans back. A groan bubbles in her throat, ready to softly let it be heard with a stretch, but being interrupted by her phone ringing on the coffee table as it’s facedown. Alison frowns when checking the time on a nearby clock, reading that it’s only just past nine o’clock in the morning on a Wednesday. Internally, she prays it’s not a schedule-change for the upcoming meeting next week, and her hopes are answered when her fingers flip the device over to see a FaceTime call from her mother.

“Isn’t it a little early?” Alison’s answer is the least bit cheery, eyebrows creased in a mild annoyance.

“You look terrible,” Mrs. DiLaurentis gushes in ignorance to her daughter’s words, leaning close to the screen as if it’ll give her a better view.

“Are you keeping up with your medications?” Mr. DiLaurentis adds onto his wife’s comment, frowning.

“I am,” she nods, clearing her throat so she doesn’t sound so stuffy. “It’s just… _morning_.”

“ _Ooh,_ ” her mother looks like she’s pieced things together, “I should’ve known.”

“It’s fine,” truly, there’s nothing she can do about it, so she settles on the vague reassurance. “I’m getting used to it.”

“Just keep up with your fluids and prescriptions,” the man behind the screen makes it all sound so simple and mindless, Alison only nodding with a dull hum coming from her throat.

She doesn’t want to be this short-fused with her parents because, really, she knows they only care and are concerned for her wellbeing with this child and no “support” (that they know of), but her body still feels like it’s grasping onto energy like straws, and the fabricated comfort of the couch is calling her name.

“What have you been up to since we last spoke?”

The question sparks a short-lived debate in her mind, slightly squinting as she peers beyond the camera of her phone, like she’s staring through the glass of her window even though it’s covered by sheer blinds; she thinks of telling them about Emily, if the brunette would be okay with that, and how they’d react to the news. Quite frankly, she doesn’t want to keep her relationship a secret ━ despite what they may or may not find out later about Emily being the donor for the process she endured ━ and this is probably going to be her best, little-to-no-trouble opportunity when it comes to minimally explaining herself, especially because the brunette should be back in the room at any second.

“I went on a date last night,” her response is simple while upbeat, putting out some bait in order to see if they’ll take it ━ which they do.

They don’t seem upset when asking, but maybe a bit cautious due to the time separation between this “relationship” and her entanglement with Elliott, Mr. DiLaurentis keeping his voice fatherly and protective while asking, “What’s his name?”

Alison wants to roll her eyes with a laugh at the “default” question, speaking matter-of-factly with the information, “ _Her_ name is Emily.”

“ _Oh_ ,” Mrs. DiLaurentis raises her eyebrows with what looks like mild shock but as though she stumbled upon a massive piece of information, “and is she… nice?”

“She’s very nice,” Alison assures them, nodding her head with a chuckle at their choice in prying wonders.

“Good,” her father seems somewhat awkward about it, but the blonde is lucky enough to know that it’s his normal state of appearance.

Almost as if on cue, Emily exits the bathroom behind where Alison FaceTimes her parents, the brunette instantly noticing that her girlfriend is on a call with someone, not moving to interrupt. She doesn’t get the chance to linger away from the other girl for long, however, because Alison gives them an airy “She’s here, right now, actually,” and Emily feels like a deer caught in headlights.

Over Alison’s head, the camera is panned to Emily who wonders if she should cover up more, the blonde’s shorts being less lengthy on her body than they probably should be in order to look presentable, but she decides to push down her nerves at least a bit while approaching.

She smiles politely while leaning on the back of the couch so she’s in view of the girl’s parents, the two behind the screen waving with courteous _hello_ ’s that Emily returns.

“Are you taking care of Alison for us?” they ask within seconds, the blonde in mention wanting to hang up on them for treating her like a irresponsible child.

“As much as she lets me,” Emily jokes, and Alison feels her cheeks turning a reddish tint at the statement because, hell, everyone knows how stubborn she is, and it’s not fair.

“Okay, well,” Alison clears her throat and fixes the phone so only she’s on camera again, “I’m not feeling well, so we’re gonna go.”

They know what she’s doing and that it’s out of partial embarrassment, Mrs. DiLaurentis giving her a sly smirk and a “you’re off the hook ━ for now” kind of muttered, authoritative “Call us soon” as Emily rounds the couch to sit next to her girlfriend.

No departing statement is returned, Alison slowly reaching for the coffee table so she can put the device back in its facedown position. She doesn’t regain a straightened back immediately afterward, remaining hunched over with the desire to escape Emily’s eyes because she doesn’t know if the brunette is upset with her for announcing their relationship so soon. She inadvertently drums up some of her own anxiety, trying to push herself to breathe evenly and act more confident than she feels, and her body is finally relaxed once she’s leaning backward to see Emily still looking at her with a diluted smile on her face ━ one that says she’s not angry, but curious.

“I’m sorry,” her apology comes with a breathy, nervous laugh. “They asked me if anything new has been happening, and I… I just figured it’d be the best time.”

“You don’t need to apologize, Ali,” Emily takes her hand, playing with her fingers without looking up. “It had to happen sometime, didn’t it?”

Alison smiles, “Yeah, I guess it did,” and the seriousness of the situation finally settles in, being smooth and content while it reflects in her expression.

Brown eyes look up, begging to meet blue, and Alison wants to lean in and seal the girl’s lips but holds off for an assortment of reasons ━ one being that she’s still feeling gross from this morning’s wake-up call. Instead, she goes with her normal persona, settling on teasing her girlfriend with an underlying sincerity that’s instantly picked up on.

“When am I going to meet _your_ parents?” the blonde’s eyes narrow in accusation, putting her on the spot.

“I don’t know,” Emily squints one eye, thinking. “Maybe you can stop by and watch my dad and I coach, sometime. My mom usually goes, too.”

“Is that an invitation?”

“Good to know your smooth responses don’t seem to fade when you’re not feeling well,” the brunette proves she can keep up, tilting her head to the side with raised, pointed eyebrows.

Alison smirks.

“You’re welcome to come anytime,” the offer is finally settled in the air, afterwards being taken back just a tad bit, a sheepish, begging grin on Emily’s face. “Just give me a heads-up, first.”

“That’s no fun.”

Emily rolls her eyes, wanting to protest because she knows Alison is about to test her by showing up without notice. She pushes her small distaste aside for the moment, however, because she hears an uncomfortable groan come (what feels like) randomly, Alison easing herself backward onto the couch cushions with a slow, awkward-looking slipping motion until she’s lying down.

The brunette quirks an eyebrow although she mostly understands ━ not to say she’s dealt with the exact, queasy sensation ━ and only stares at her girlfriend whose face continues to contort with grumpy expressions and the drive to find a comfortable position, her legs ultimately landing across Emily’s lap.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t be comfier in bed?

“I don’t think so. It’s more of an obnoxious, internal feeling,” Alison gruffs, shifting her jaw. “I tried to ignore it when we were lying here before because I can sometimes push it away, but then it suddenly got real bad, so I had to get up. It came out of nowhere,” the last part is muttered, the blonde clearly biting her cheek afterwards in a form of thought, shyness, or a mixture of the two.

She doesn’t know what to say, only nodding at the information and storing it in the back of her mind in case she needs it for future reference. Her eyes examine the floor, searching for nothing in particular, and Alison lifts her upper torso so she can see what Emily is doing, previously waiting for the girl to get situated next to her.

Now, she studies the brunette’s zoned-out focus, staring across the room while seemingly thinking heavily about something, and normally she’d let Emily do whatever, but her needs are at an all-time high right now, desperately seeking comfort in any form she can get it.

“Lie down with me,” she hopes it comes out more pleading than demanding, though she realizes that Emily probably would accept, either way, and a new smile curves her girlfriend’s lips.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to take up all your couch space,” the brunette uses a teasing tone to cover up her actual concern, Alison playfully ignoring it and tugging on her arm so she’ll nearly collapse onto her.

Unlike the night before, Emily cuddles up to Alison, lying between the blonde’s body and the back of the couch, and her leg falls between the girl’s thighs. She doesn’t think much of the position, initially, casually enjoying the sense of security given back by Alison since their roles have primarily been reversed for most of the time they’ve known each other. Her ear presses near Alison’s shoulder, not wanting to be mostly on top of the girl for obvious and cautious reasons, while her free arm is tucked between them in a scrunched up manner.

Alison takes a breath and shifts against the cushions below them, evidently dissatisfied with how she’s feeling this morning, and Emily gets attacked with a pang of guilt even though there’s not much else she can do.

The amount of heat radiating off the blonde’s body is unsettling, wanting to give the girl as much room as possible in order to breathe freely, so her arm is removed from between them and placed on the side of Alison’s stomach.

Emily’s fingers twitch while she looks at her hand, lips slowly parting just barely because it’s still so new to them, and, heck, who _wouldn’t_ get hit with a small but deadly wave of realization when they’re _this_ close? In turn, her formerly stretched-out, shaking fingers curl into a fist, trying to be as stiff as ever in case she crossed a line. There’s always a line, she thinks, but it seems as though Alison hasn’t cared, all this morning.

Emily peers upward, surprised to see Alison looking at where her hand was mere seconds ago, and suddenly she’s tearing her eyes away in a sense of apology and escapism, all in one motion. She knows she can’t necessarily shut herself away somewhere, however, especially because Alison needs her right now, so she swallows hard and asks, “Is this… okay?” with a quietness that nearly keeps her voice held hostage completely.

The faint sound of a chuckle is heard, though it’s so subtle that Emily isn’t sure if it was just a sharp exhale or the beginning of a small cough, and she never gets an answer.

She doesn’t see the knowing smile that grows on Alison’s face, either, especially when the blonde reaches across her own body, smoothly takes Emily’s hand, and deliberately opens the girl’s palm before letting it rest on her stomach, a result of detecting her girlfriend’s hesitancy and need for permission.

“It’s perfect.”

It allows them to rest comfortably; Emily takes pride in being able to rest her open hand on Alison’s stomach without the girl thinking it’s awkward after every random realization that’s smacked into them, whereas the blonde lying semi-below her feels, again, even more in-tune with both herself and the person pressed against her ━ A.K.A. someone whom she thought was a stranger, but turned out to be an individual who had _already_ changed her life, and will continue doing so.

Her smile and coziness last approximately ten seconds, unfortunately, because the sickeningly churning, disgusting sensation in her gut returns, and her face drops as a first reaction. Second, she partly whines, and Emily tilts her chin upward to see Alison clearly at a loss of what to do with herself, the blonde not locking eyes with the girl because it’s not the most appealing, and she’s all too aware. Instead, Alison forcibly rubs circles on her own stomach, more to the left side, while careful to avoid Emily’s hand. For whatever reason, she believes the brunette will ignore the motion, or perhaps she’s just too distracted with her own displeasure that she doesn’t remember how the girl’s palm is resting in the same area, but recalls how often the consistent, circular stimulation helps her stomach improve with a tingling sensation above the sourness, and, as desperation occurs, all she wants to do is feel okay again.

Emily seals her lips, assessing Alison’s self-soothing action while wondering if it helps. Of course it does, she flings the mental, smartass comment at herself; why would she be doing it, otherwise? Again, she struggles, the concept of “what’s overstepping?” a permanent fixture in her thoughts in terms of the blonde’s pregnancy. It’s questionable, Emily thinks; she’s curious to know if she’d still be this confused about what she can or cannot do if they never stumbled upon the information that they had, or if she’d have much less of an ambivalence about, well, _everything_ if the baby wasn’t a part of her. In that case, she’d just be taking care of Alison — her girlfriend — right?

But isn’t she doing that now? After all, she _did_ tell Alison that she wants to make this work solely because she wants a relationship with her, despite this “baby” circumstance. She still stands by that, yeah, but maybe it’s ━ _admittedly_ ━ a bit more complicated than she previously owned up to, especially judging by the way she’s so torn when it comes to whether or not she’s crossing a line whenever she makes a move. That has to change, Emily declares with a breath.

She slides her palm across Alison’s stomach and considerately nudges the girl’s fingers away, breaking the pattern of its cycling, and her voice is held to a whisper while saying, “Here,” once her hand takes over to mimic what the blonde was doing moments ago.

It catches Alison by surprise as her hand drops to her side, her mouth only falling open at the gesture ━ certainly not in a rejecting way ━ while relaxing at the feeling. Emily makes careful work of what she’s doing, paying sharp attention to the way she moves her hand and listening for any negative disturbances in Alison’s breathing when she goes too far to the side. She knows she’s on heightened alert for this ━ truly, it’s not that difficult to rub someone’s stomach ━ but the idea of making sure her girlfriend stays overly content is her prime concern, and her dedication to sketching down mental notes is bound to pay off someday.

“Thank you,” Alison whispers, hoping it’s enough to express her gratitude while she begins to drag her nails up and down the brunette’s arm, her other hand still resting on the cushion beside her.

“Mhm,” Emily brushes her cheek against the girl’s shirt, the blonde feeling her mouth already curved into a smile.

The butterflies in their chests go insane, in the meantime, Alison’s more so than Emily’s since she doesn’t have much to focus on other than the feeling coming through the fabric of her shirt, and part of her mind thanks every higher being for the distraction from her morning sickness ━ in the forms of her girlfriend taking unwavering care of her, and those butterflies fluttering throughout her body. She seals her lips, breathing steadily.

Lying there, she wonders if she’s the only one who can feel it, or if the child inside her also senses the magnetic pull toward the girl lying pressed against her body, hand rubbing her stomach in a gesture of togetherness. Although Alison has been trying to shove the thought away, it’s still something that often appears in her mind, just wishing she knew if there’s still some kind of connection between the two since they share genetics. It’s not something she’d be fearful of, or even upset over.

In fact, she mainly wants to know because, honestly, she wants it to be true, and that’s… scary.

This is all so new to them, and there’s such evident hesitation in Emily’s motions ━ maybe not in the current scenario ━ so it’s not like it’d be an easy, “it’s whatever” kind of transition. That’s a big step, and a big commitment, and she’s not even sure if _Emily_ wants to have that level of connection with the baby inside of her.

Alison takes a breath, once more shooing multiple thoughts from her mind; if there ever comes a time where she finds an opening to discuss how Emily would like to go about things in the future, she’ll spill what she’s been harping on for this long. Until then, it’s time to enjoy her time with Emily — as her girlfriend — without giving her full attention to the lingering, neon sign that threatens to pop their bubble of happiness; the brunette deserves to have a “no strings attached” relationship, or at least a girlfriend who doesn’t remind her, every waking moment, that there’s a baby involved.

She licks her lips and makes a face, thinking about how long it’s been since she woke up to the bodily alarm from hell. Fuck it, she thinks.

“Em?”

“Yeah?” the girl lifts her chin.

“Can I have a kiss?”

Emily smiles instantly, almost before the request fully exited her mouth, and Alison feels sheepish for asking, but doesn’t backtrack.

The hand on her stomach stills for a moment or two, the brunette happily complying by leaning up and connecting their lips with a gentle nature that’s all too alluring. She backs up, but Alison follows for another, brief kiss, pecking her on the mouth twice more until they only depart a few inches to look into each other’s eyes.

“Good morning.”

 

X X X

 

The tires of her car crunch along old, broken-down pavement alongside a school-bound football field as she systematically pulls into a parking space.

The park is lined with wooden, chipped bleachers that have obviously been reinforced in the past however-many years, detailed lettering and numbers lining the rows and levels in an attempt to be more organized. They’re empty, however, and most of the small crowd sit on foldable “fan chairs” on the left side of the football field, the majority of attendees (presumably) twenty- or thirty-year-old mothers talking in hushed tones with one another, occasional, younger children running along the dirt patches further behind where the parents linger. A few more patrons view the scrimmage from the designated “audience spot,” a solid amount of feet behind the closest end zone.

On the field, two huddles are formed, a handful of players pretty small in comparison to the adults they speak to ━ one of which is whom Alison came to keep an eye on ━ and their helmets look twice the size of their actual heads.

Alison smiles while stepping out of the car, briefly glancing up at the sky to note how beautiful today’s weather is; despite Emily’s recent, before-work lectures, the blonde felt way too cooped up in her apartment, spending an hour or so finishing up some online tasks for the week before shaking her head at her antsyness, throwing on a presentable outfit, and driving her way here with vague knowledge of the team which her girlfriend’s would be playing today.

She passes an entrance pole of the field, ascending a minimal slope in the dirt before hitting the grass, and her feet bring her over to the bleachers where she takes a seat. It’s in perfect view of everything, only three benches in the air, and there’s no one to bother her as she admires Emily in her natural setting. Her eyes scan the field and the guests surrounding, zoning in on a woman at the nearby corner of the end zone, her focus burning a hole through the book in her lap aside from the occasional glances she gives the teams on the field. Alison’s smile returns; that’s definitely Emily’s mother, undoubtedly so.

Turning her attention back to the game at-hand, Alison watches Emily stand next to an older man ━ like her mother, there’s no denying their similarities ━ while discussing a paper she’s holding in her grasp, both waiting on the sidelines. A whistle is blown somewhere, but Alison remains staring at the brunette who whispers something with what looks like a tiny smile, and their team turns back toward them to huddle up once more.

Emily talks and teaches with animation as the young children clearly follow along, some with more enthusiasm than others, and she occasionally points around the field but _always_ smiles, Alison admiring the sight with the hours-ago fluttering in her chest resurfacing.

It brings her back to how the day unfolded, the comfort of Emily’s palm running along her stomach ingrained into her memory because it felt so surreal but also sensual, like that’s where they’re supposed to be together. She wondered, at the time, if Emily felt it, as well ━ and, honestly, she’s still questioning what the brunette was thinking ━ but kept all comments to herself. The girl seemed to enjoy herself, though, keeping up with the action for longer than Alison expected because, admittedly, her arm always gets way too cramped before she gives up, and the blonde’s nails dragged along the skin of Emily’s arm in a silent way of returning the favor. Occasionally, Alison’s fingertips traveled higher, ending up loosely tangled in brown hair while turning to kiss the top of Emily’s head, and she’d earn a content hum each time.

Alison remembers how weightless she felt, and how everything appeared so peaceful with the sunlight streaming into the apartment, albeit muffled by blinds, and the soft sound of breathing filling the space as they drifted in and out of their daydreams.

The tranquility didn’t last forever, sadly, coming in the form of Emily announcing, once they finished “brunch,” that she had to leave to coach a team-vs-team scrimmage, later in the day.

_“But I can come back, if you’d like,”_ she tried to recover when she saw Alison’s accepting but sad face, the blonde taking a breath, putting on her best, reassuring facade, and nodding with a taunting _“If you insist.”_

The sound of a sharp, collective clap breaks up her short thought, Emily’s team running back onto the field with the other huddle doing the same, and the brunette’s laugh fills the air from where Alison spectates.

In the midst of her small round of entertainment, Emily turns around to approach the bench where the rest of their team’s things lie, glancing upward for not even a second before having to double-take when she sees Alison sitting there, the blonde’s hand raising to twitch her fingers in a stiff, taunting wave matched by a devious, lovable grin.

Emily’s mouth drops open like she’s ready to say something or form an expression of her own, but any progress is wiped away when Mr. Fields comes up next to her with a comment to add onto their recent conversation, stopping in mid-sentence to ask, “What are you staring at?” with eyes floating in the direction of his daughter’s.

The brunette’s whipped response, “No one━I mean nothing,” is a last-ditch attempt to snap her father’s drifting focus away from her girlfriend, but he only takes the foolishness with squinted, judgmental yet wise eyes that look toward Alison, anyway.

She waves instantly, this time more friendly with sealed lips that apologize for distracting Emily, and Wayne smiles before his eyes bounce between the two, his eyebrows raising at his daughter in a form of teasing, and Alison is snickering at the face her girlfriend makes before walking away.

An orangish glow covers the air within the next ten minutes, sunset coming rapidly as October sits on the horizon. Alison daydreams about spending chilly, fall nights with Emily, the thought-up pictures almost feeling as inviting as the instances would, in reality; lounging in cozy, baggy shirts and pajama pants while watching movies, drinking warm beverages, and overall relaxing sure as hell sound ideal, as of now, especially if it’s all done with her girlfriend. The term, itself, is endearing: _girlfriend_.

“Don’t forget, next time we meet is for _practice_ ,” Mr. Fields emphasizes as teammates begin to leave the field with their bags slung over their shoulders, some kids running away from their parents in an excitement to get home and do whatever.

Somewhere behind Emily’s father is the brunette, herself, giving one of the kids a high-five before he runs off to follow his young-looking mother. Alison watches the majority of everyone leave, Mrs. Fields throwing her things together where she had been sitting for the scrimmage, and Emily speaks to her father about something near the team bench.

Carefully, Alison steadies herself and hops off the bleachers, brushing her pants afterwards. When she looks up, Emily is walking toward her with a quirked eyebrow that’s playfully scolding, Alison sauntering to meet her halfway.

She tilts her head to the side once they’re face to face, a foot apart, and the brunette is trying to make herself appear more authoritative than the mess Alison _knows_ she is on the inside.

“I told you to give me a heads-up,” it’s a half-assed lecture that the blonde blinks rapidly at, acting innocent even though all she wants to do is deliberately erase the distance between them with a kiss ━ or maybe even drag Emily behind the bleachers like they’re teenage lovers after homecoming.

It must be the sunset’s lighting, Alison muses.

“And I told you that’d be no fun,” she throws back, Emily bowing her head with a shaky laugh coming out.

“You should be resting, anyway,” the brunette tries, locking eyes with shimmering blue again.

“I’m restless, and you know that.”

Emily wants to argue, perhaps throw today’s relaxation in the girl’s face with a matched, seduction-filled reminder of how well she seems to rest under the comfort of her fingertips, but their stare-down is shattered when both of her parents approach their conversation near the bleachers, a smug grin on her father’s face while her mother only smiles politely.

“Aren’t you going to introduce us?” Wayne pries instantly, Emily looking at him, at her mother, and back at Alison before nodding, taking a breath, and relenting.

“Mom, Dad, this is Alison… my girlfriend,” there’s only a split-second of hesitation between her name and the title, the blonde wanting to giggle at her nervousness that seems to be stemming from Mr. Fields’ constant, unwavering smugness.

Turning to the blonde, Emily introduces the opposite, “ _Alison_ … Mom, Dad,” with gestures to the two, respectively.

“It’s very nice to meet you,” her mother gives Alison a friendly nod that’s returned, smiling at the young couple when Emily moves to stand next to her girlfriend.

“Likewise,” she grins.

“You should join us for a full scrimmage next time,” the older man adds. “We could go out for a bite to eat, after.”

“I’d like that,” Alison smiles, feeling welcomed by the couple.

“You may want to watch from afar, though. Emily got a bit distracted toward the end of that final run,” he continues to poke fun at his daughter, the brunette flaring her nostrils while looking away until facing him again and staring for an extended amount of time, Alison sealing her lips with blushing cheeks, in the meantime.

“Well, it was nice meeting you, dear,” Pam decides to break the tension with a kind smile, wanting to roll her eyes at the banter with a silly attitude that says she’s used to their competitive bond, and she tugs on her husband’s arm with a head-nod toward the car that tells him it’s time to go.

“I’ll be calling you for that chart, over the weekend,” their departure is paused when Mr. Fields tosses the warning at Emily. “I don’t want to hear any whining that it’s a Saturday.”

She rolls her eyes lightheartedly, giving him a nod until he turns away to walk to the car with his wife.

Emily turns to Alison who stares at her, continuously preying on her with wandering eyes that, before they were looking at one another, drifted a bit lower with an internal frustration wondering why she’s randomly feeling so inclined to press her body against the brunette’s without intent of backing away. The blonde tilts her head to the side when brown eyes narrow, putting up a solid front that deflects any deep-digging questions she’s about to ask.

As much as she’d love to keep up with this “I’m stronger than you” charade, Alison extends her hand for Emily to take with a newer, bright smile, her girlfriend automatically accepting it so they can walk to the already-empty parking lot together. Their fingers entwine on contact, both loving the feeling, and it’s silent with crickets beginning to chirp in the surrounding grass until Emily breaks the serenity with a cheeky “Did you at least _try_ to rest after I left?”

Alison laughs, “Yes, I did,” and the other girl visibly relaxes partly, nodding to no one in particular.

They hear themselves walking, stepping onto the lot’s cracked tar, and Alison looks around, lost in her thoughts, with Emily doing the same.

“You’re good with them,” the blonde finds herself saying, not knowing where the proclamation came from but wanting to face-palm herself for it.

She gets a quizzical look from Emily, extracting the explanation, “The kids, I mean. The way you talk to them, and teach them without making it seem like you’re giving a boring lecture. I can tell they like you, and that they respect you.”

Once they reach Alison’s car, they both stop to continue the conversation, the blonde finishing with an equally admirable “It’s because you respect _them_.”

“They deserve it,” Emily shrugs, a faint smile on her face. “I have fun with them, and they often teach me things, as well. Like… how to be a kid again,” she ducks her head with a beaming smile, this time. “I think, no matter how old, we’re all still trying to figure ourselves out.”

Alison feels a bigger grin peaking across her mouth, the butterflies in her body returning to spread throughout her limbs in the form of tingling. Again, she wants to lean in and connect their lips, this time in a much more innocent light, but she stops herself in order to keep some anticipation.

“Are you coming back to my place?” she settles on asking, acting persuasive.

“I probably should,” Emily sounds cagey with narrowed eyes, like she’s pretending that it’s not for her own gain. “You know, just to make sure you relax a little.”

“Mm, something tells me that’s just an excuse.”

The accusatory look in Alison’s eyes makes Emily seal her lips, her focus struggling to stay away from her girlfriend’s mouth when all she feels compelled to do is seal the gap between them with a kiss. Something tells her to lean in, maybe in the form of Alison taking a tiny step closer, and Emily gently places her hand on the blonde’s hip in order to bring their bodies together and follow through on their mutual desire.

She can almost feel the girl’s mouth against hers ━ _waiting_ to feel it ━ but a gentle, toying laugh is heard with Alison’s pointer finger being tapped against her lips, brown eyes opening fully when her girlfriend’s thumb gently lingers underneath her chin.

Alison smiles hard, her dimples showing like they do when she’s seriously happy or putting on her signature, devious persona, and Emily’s eyebrows furrow with the finger placed to her lips remaining in the same spot. The hollow click of the blonde’s car door is heard, Alison swinging it open without moving to slip inside. Instead, she places her lips against the finger separating their mouths, provoking Emily with an enticing “You can wait a few more minutes.”

She gives the girl an intentionally dangerous look-over once backed up, holding her confidence at a steady level as she slides into the seat behind the wheel and shuts her door, waiting for Emily to leave room for her to reverse out of the spot. It only takes a second, the brunette coming back down to Earth once Alison’s car tires crunch along pebbles, and the girl is driving out of the parking lot soon after.

Standing in the same spot, Emily presses her tongue to her inner cheek with an expression that’s a mixture of acceptance yet challenge of the girl who drove away, nodding once and backing up so she can turn and run to her car in hopes of getting past traffic as soon as possible, ready to feel Alison’s lips against hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's with Alison stunning Emily with such cryptic phrases in parking lots before driving away like nothing happened?
> 
> A bunch of little things happened in this chapter, like a list of "firsts." For starters ━ and this is probably the least-impactful point of the update ━ Emily "met" Alison's parents. I'll answer any impending questions now by saying no, they won't be very involved in this story. In fact, they only make FaceTime appearances, and, otherwise, they're only talked about. With that being said, Mr. and Mrs. DiLaurentis' relationship plays a huge role in how Alison makes her choices, but I can't say too much about it. We've only touched the tip of the iceberg, in previous chapters. ━ Additionally, Alison met Mr. and Mrs. Fields who actually will make another few appearances, especially because I feel I owe y'all who read "The 12th Floor."
> 
> Another "first" we came into contact with is Emily's constant, inner thought-cycle of "should I, or shouldn't I?" ━ vividly arising when they're cuddled on the couch and she's making Alison feel better. In that moment, the small (yet building) conflicts come to light. It's the very start of these two (yes, both of them) figuring out what they can and/or cannot do with one another. Emily doesn't want to overstep, and she doesn't want Alison to suddenly be like "You said this was about us, not the baby" ━ not to say that she really believes Alison would say such a thing, but she still wants to take care of her pregnant girlfriend as opposed to the mother of her child, if you get what I'm saying. In time, they'll have to acknowledge what they truly want (it'll surely make some of you groan in impatience), and they'll navigate through how to make their feelings known as a couple, first and foremost, and, later, a couple with an unborn baby. Those are two different concepts.
> 
> On the other side of things, Alison, in a way, probably regrets her outburst when she first saw those thank-you cards matched up. I say this because now we see how she almost wants Emily to assert herself as a prominent figure in this child's life (like when she wishes she knew if the baby could somehow sense a connection with Emily, likewise, and wants it to be true), and she'd like them to (in the future) address everything relative to the situation, despite what she said before. She won't admit it right now, though, so we're going to have to see them, at some point, transition into an accepting area where they're open with each other ━ and it's a sweet conversation, I'll tell you that. We have some ways to go, unfortunately.
> 
> A line I'd like to note is when Emily says, "I think, no matter how old, we're all still trying to figure ourselves out." This is a constant theme in the story, and her words really resonate with Alison as she looks back on her own life, her choices, and what she wants for the future. No one is ever matured "enough," and everyone's always evolving.
> 
> Now that I've beaten this installation dry with my endless analyzing, I'll let you guys run off and frolic until we're back with chapter nine. Who's excited for a nice, #Arison encounter? One of my favorites, honestly. Also, it maaay be part of a double-update…
> 
> If you need me, I'll be on Tumblr ("capn-charlie" ━ and, yes, I always have to include my URL), or there's a possibility that I'm sucked into holiday decorating. Either way, message me if you'd like, and thanks for always coming back to me.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Drags self out of cave*
> 
> Y'all are lucky I love you. I got a new game yesterday (Ark Survival Evolved, if you wanted to know), so I was this close (*insert "O.K." symbol hand emoji*) to binge-playing it until I sleep tonight, but then I remembered I had to update. Therefore, hello (it's me).
> 
> Before we begin, for those who are thirsty for a hint of drama (primarily in the form of jealousy), I'll say that I agree we'll need some of that, however not yet. As of now, they're still working on their relationship and they're still getting a read for how they're going to operate, and they're focused on that. Also, Alison's jealousy came out at the movie theater, and, yeah, she's territorial, but she's still trying to muffle that trait since she doesn't want to chase Emily away so soon. We'll see it, in future chapters ━ on both sides.
> 
> First and foremost, we've gotta get through this chapter ━ and then, earlier than my normal, four-day wait, you'll be getting a notification for chapter ten. You're welcome.
> 
> Readysetgo.

Alison’s jaw is shifted, eyes dull as she occasionally peers up at whoever is speaking at the round, business-like table in the confines of a normally empty, spare classroom, the dusty space tucked into the east hallway of the local high school. 

A variety of members from the central school board sit around the table, the majority looking just as bored as Alison images she does, however she’s hardly paying attention to how they appear because her purse-hidden phone has most of her attention ━ ever since her conversation with Emily turned a little…  _ inappropriate _ .

Okay, so maybe it’s primarily her own fault, having messaged her girlfriend how she’d like to crawl back into bed together, leaving the text to linger for a solid minute before typing again, adding the sly information: _ “But not because I’m tired.” _

After that, the brunette’s game of questions began, Alison encouraging it little by little with scattered breadcrumbs so-intricately placed that an obvious smirk crossed her mouth until she forcefully sealed her lips and glanced around the room to make sure no one caught it.

**_E_ ** _ ━ “Why would you want to get back into bed if you’re not tired?” _

**_A_ ** _ ━ “You wouldn’t want to?” _

**_E_ ** _ ━ “I do want to.” _

**_A_ ** _ ━ “Tell me why.” _

**_E_ ** _ ━ “Why do you want to know?” _

**_A_ ** _ ━ “Because I’m wondering if it’s for the same reason.” _

**_E_ ** _ ━ “What’s your reason?” _

**_A_ ** _ ━ “What do you think?” _

The classroom door creaking with muffled voices traveling down the hallway breaks Alison out of her rampant thoughts, blinking hard and nearly dropping her phone onto the floor before catching it. Two, leftover colleagues shuffle their papers before either shoving them into their bag or simply carrying them as they walk out, Alison the only one remaining in the room since she hadn’t gotten the chance to gather her things beforehand due to an overwhelming amount of frustration and distraction. She wants to blame Emily, she really does, but knows it’s her own brain drumming up situations, and ramping up her libido until she can’t see clearly. 

Her teeth bite at her inner cheek, wanting to diffuse the cramped-up feeling in her body both by stretching and ignoring the wild imagination rattling around within her skull. Only six weeks into this pregnancy, and her body feels like it’s breaking down while also heightening itself, like it’s bringing unwarranted, sexual energy without leaving her with any drive to do everyday tasks. 

Alison huffs as she finishes mindlessly stuffing the packet of papers into her bag, not knowing a damn thing about what they discussed in today’s planned meeting. Thankfully, no one asked for her opinion ━ as per usual ━ and it didn’t last long, so she’s free for the rest of this Thursday ━ actually, until she decides to finish her “homework.”

Her hand pushes against the door so it leans a bit more open, passing over the threshold and into the empty hallway. The floor echoes as she walks, Alison constantly thanking every higher power that she’s not in high school anymore, glancing around at the lockers and sparse rooms since, for most students, it’s lunchtime. She hears footsteps somewhere ahead of her, however, tightening the hold on her bag and putting on an attentive face so she doesn’t walk into whoever’s about to round the corner ━ until Aria comes into view, and, suddenly, the blonde is acquiring a smile.

“I didn’t know you had a meeting,” her friend comments with general knowledge of this being the girl’s prime face-to-face conference destination, a plastic container full of salad held in her hand with her bag slung over her wrist.

“Unfortunately I did,” Alison wants to roll her eyes, but manages to hold herself back, Aria giggling.

“Do you want to sit in the classroom with me?” the girl sounds hopeful, the two not seeing each other recently. “It’s my lunch period.”

“Sure,” at her response, the two walk into Aria’s classroom, only three doors down, with minimal words exchanged.

Alison’s eyes roam the walls once they’re inside, the door cracked closed with Aria getting situated behind her desk, her food placed in front of her.

“I’m surprised you didn’t have them draw anything for Halloween yet,” the blonde muses with her gaze continuously flickering about the walls, colorful, abstract pictures perfectly lined up along the one which opposes the room’s windows in a way that gives a partial nod to how elementary schools display their students’ work.

“They’re in the process,” Aria admits, taking a bite of her salad. “It’s only the first week of October, anyway. You can’t rush perfection.”

“Maybe  _ I  _ should draw you something so you can tack it up here,” admiring the work, Alison gives the smug comment with a grin.

“Do I get to grade you?”

“No, you’d fail me purposely.”

“ _ No _ ,” she disagrees with an oncoming, teasing tone, “I’d fail you because you suck at drawing.”

“How do you figure that?” Alison approaches the front of the room again, sliding into one of the spacious yet oddly arranged, student-desks in front of her friend.

“Have you forgotten about that time we played Pictionary?” her eyes are pointed, Alison only shifting her jaw and laughing at the reminder until she nods her head in a faint form of admission.

Silence comes over the two, Alison still assessing her surroundings as Aria works on eating her lunch, periodically tapping the phone placed on her desk while using her pinky. The blonde sees the action with the girl’s mouth puckered as if she’s thinking about something, opting to break the quietness of the room with a curious “How’s Ezra?”

“He’s good,” the brunette nods happily. “Grumpy, lately, but I think that’s only because it’s still technically the start of the school year, so everything’s all messed up.”

“Tell me about it,” Alison raises her eyebrows. “No one on the school board can agree on anything, like times to meet, or where, or what we need to discuss. I’m sure his case is worse, though. Dealing with transitioning students from high school to college.”

“Mm,” it’s an agreeing hum, “but  _ my _ case is the worst of them all.”

“Aw, you don’t like high school?”

Aria only gives her a look, afterwards going back to poking at her salad until raising her eyes with an expression that derives from realization.

“By the way, I know it’s not for like… two, entire months, but do you and Emily want to come to our house for Thanksgiving?” the offer is splayed out quickly and smoothly, Alison smiling almost instantly. “I’m going to invite CeCe, too, and Ezra already invited his friend, Toby, who I  _ think _ is also bringing his fiancée,” she squints while recounting.

The plan certainly sounds appealing; spending a night with close friends is probably the most ideal Thanksgiving celebration she could think of, especially because her parents don’t live nearby so she can’t necessarily spend the evening with them ━ or attempt to, anyway. It’ll be good, having everyone together with Emily as her date ━ that is… if the girl agrees to it. It’s not that she thinks Emily would turn her down, but they’ve never really spoken about holiday plans, mostly because there haven’t been any thus far, so she’s not sure if the brunette tends to spend the day with her family, judging from how close her girlfriend seems with her parents.

“I’ll have to ask Emily,” Alison settles on saying, a slight bounce in the way she speaks with a shrug. 

“Great,” she gets a smile, in return. “Speaking of…” her demeanor turns mildly invasive, a shy, prying grin on her face, “how’s that going?”

On instinct, Alison can feel her cheeks warming up, but manages to keep the color at bay by biting her lower lip and allowing herself to appear beyond smitten, eyes drifting off to the side of the room. Aria raises her eyebrows, clearly waiting for an answer, and the only thing she hears is the calm, tiptoe confession, “She’s been sleeping over lately.”

“Wait, like… sleep, or  _ sleep _ ?” the information is automatically dug at, Aria’s mouth dropped open in a way expressing that she’s prepared to ask more questions, if need be.

She thinks back on the past week, instances flashing to her mind of how ramped up her hormones have become in terms of sexual frustration and attempts to get to Emily. It’s not like she’s been subtle, but she supposes that her advances could be branded as empty seduction, including her thick words and heavy looks that make her girlfriend clear her throat and turn away, or claw her way to change the subject entirely. 

That tactic never works to retaliate Alison’s actual, physical movements, on the other hand, like when she decides to straddle Emily once their kisses turn hotter and her body wants some kind of release, the two finding themselves tangled in a mess of tension and dry-humping after an hour or so passes.

One particular time pops into Alison’s memory, taking place only a day ago when Emily spent the night ━ a night that’d conclude full of obvious confliction within both girls, lying next to each other and attempting to sleep close while that damned “should we, shouldn’t we?” taunt lingered in the air. They had been on the couch for a while, Alison’s legs stretched across Emily’s lap for thirty or so minutes prior with firm hands massaging her ankles and upward, when the blonde’s body couldn’t help but drum up more anticipation than it probably should’ve. She wanted Emily, and the brown eyes that kept glancing in her direction told a similar tale, but Alison knew her girlfriend wouldn’t be making that risky of a move anytime soon. It made for an interesting challenge, Alison internally mused, and she bit her bottom lip while straightening her back, zoned-in eyes on her newfound posture. 

She reached behind her torso whilst underneath the fabric of her shirt, the garment bunching over her stomach in the process, and her fingers unclipped her bra before leaving it in place. Of course, her gaze floated to Emily with a courteous yet flirtatious _ “Sorry, is this…?” _ with squinted eyes and a face that portrayed the essence of alert, almost like she figured she should’ve asked, beforehand. Emily pretended she wasn’t watching her every move, or imagining what could potentially happen afterwards, raising her eyebrows with a stunned yet absentminded nod before facing the TV in front of them like she’d be able to pay attention even though her girlfriend was, after that moment, braless.

Alison could tell the other girl was already suffering, catching her side-eyes again and again before Emily forced herself into staring at the screen. She wanted to ask the brunette what the plot of the show was, just to see how she’d stutter and try to gather up some sort of vague account, but, instead, took her bra in her hand, slowly leaned over her girlfriend, and tossed it in the direction of her bedroom.

Following that, she was closer, almost in Emily’s lap with a focus that wouldn’t stray from brown, struggling eyes.

_ “Are you sure this is okay?” squinting, she provokes the girl who sits not even an inch away. _

_ “It’s totally fine,” her voice struggles even though she tries to take a breath, cutting herself short by clearing her throat. _

_ “‘Fine’?” Alison picks at the word choice, waiting to hear something more. _

_ Emily’s mouth opens and closes, her brain full of thoughts that begin to ram into each other and mesh without making any type of sense. Soon after the initial hesitation, her mouth, at some point, fell open and stayed that way, lacking her usual ability to seal her lips and ignore Alison’s prodding. For whatever, stupid reason, she gives her eyes the go-ahead to glance away from Alison’s intentful focus for merely a second, drifting down her chest and staying there for longer than she calculated. She turns her head, looking away from Alison with the blonde’s smirk growing from subtle to noticeable, thriving in the idea of torturing her girlfriend with something only  _ she  _ can use against her. _

In retrospect, looking back from where she does now, Emily’s suffering only solidified the knowledge of how close they’ve become, and how difficult it’s growing to keep their hands off each other. Alison licks her bottom lip at the thought of breaking the dwindling innocence of their relationship, once and for all, and her head ducks so Aria can’t see how blissful she’s grown within the lone minute since her question was asked. 

She thinks of how it’ll be, and how,  _ exactly _ , she wants it to happen, where, when, and for how long. 

It’s all so alluring, and, in yesterday’s weighted moment with Emily, as their eyes locked again, she suddenly wanted something right then and there ━ at least a taste of what’s to come. Without a single kiss or anything signaling what her intentions were, Alison crawled atop her girlfriend, Emily’s shoulder blades hitting the back of the couch as her mouth remained fallen open in the simplest form of surprise, and the blonde’s hands cupped soft cheeks before drifting backward until fingers were tangled in dark-brown hair.

The rest happened in waves, Alison feeling weightless against Emily’s lips for longer than she can remember, but she’s able to recall the brunette’s evident hesitation with the outstanding piece of knowledge that the bra had been shed from her torso, earlier. During their mini-make out session, Emily only let her hands roam up to her bare chest twice ━ Alison counted ━ while, for the remainder of the time, they rested on her lower back, ass, hips, and upper thighs. The blonde wouldn’t describe her motions as stiff, certainly not, but there was clear, massive apprehension, and it’s the focal reason as to why Alison has realized that it’s going to take some unquestionable indication that she, herself, is ready in order to push Emily into taking a leap.

Aria clears her throat from in front of where Alison sits, eyebrow quirked in a way that screams she’s still waiting for an answer, and the blonde sheepishly chuckles at herself for getting so lost. 

Her tongue presses against her inner cheek, wondering how she should go about saying what’s on her mind. Just be honest, her thoughts scream; truly, she knows that Aria gives good advice, and maybe this accidental meet-up, today, came up for a reason. That happens a lot, the blonde muses at the mild form of fate. 

“We haven’t…” Alison raises her eyebrows, breath leaving her lungs when she thinks about it. “I’m… ready to, though,” she admits, afterwards furrowing her eyebrows with her gaze flickering toward the cracked-open door of Aria’s classroom as if the words she spoke scared herself. “This isn’t exactly something I want to discuss in the middle of a high school,” her nerves are covered up with the excuse, her friend snickering.

“Why not? I practically walked in on two kids in the midst of foreplay behind the stairwell, earlier,” she gives Alison a look that tells her to stop toying around. “ _ Nothing’s _ off limits here,” it’s mumbled.

It makes Alison chuckle, though her eyes still scan the room with her fingers tapping along the desk in front of her.

Aria leans forward, resembling a counselor or authority figure with her hands clasped, “So, does  _ she  _ know that you’re ready?”

“I mean, we haven’t talked about it. That’s not something you just come out with,” the girl goes bug-eyed.

“Why not?” she takes a bite of her food, pointing her fork toward Alison. “Communication is important.”

“I’d rather  _ show  _ that I’m ready, and not just  _ say  _ it.”

The words make Aria quirk an eyebrow, Alison not straying away from staring at her friend with hinting eyes and a subtle grin hidden behind her serious facade. Aria understands, right away, and gives her a single, slow nod with a smirk forming across her mouth, ultimately making an encouraging face and saying, “Okay, so… do that. Show her.”

“I just have to figure out how,” her response is spoken more so to herself, leaning back against the rock-hard, metal chair. 

“I  _ really  _ don’t think that’ll be an issue,” it comes through a breathy laugh, Aria going back to finishing her lunch.

“It’s been an issue ever since I started looking at myself differently,” Alison’s arms cross over her stomach, whispering, “but I know I should probably get this done before I start changing _ a lot _ ,” it’s more comical than self-annoyed, probably to cover up the massive truth (in the blonde’s own belief) behind the subject. 

“Don’t rush yourself because of that,” the girl across from her frowns heavily. “This isn’t a now-or-never situation.”

“No, I’m not rushing myself,” she defends, “but it’s always going to be in the back of my mind.”

At first, Aria is silent as the information sinks in, also giving Alison a sad grin. It fades quickly, however, and she musters up some reassurance for the girl across from her.

“Just remember, whether or not  _ you’ve  _ been looking at yourself differently,  _ she  _ sees you for you, and I think she’d be beyond thrilled if she walked in to find you looking like you know what you want,” it comes with a sly smirk, nudging Alison with the image. 

“What if my confidence doesn’t hold up?” Alison tilts her head to the side, slightly at a loss. “I’m not as straightforward as I used to be,  _ especially  _ since…” the sentence dies in her throat, looking off to the side.

“Who knows how you’ll feel when it finally happens, Ali, but you won’t be alone,” she reminds the girl. “This is going to be your first time, anyway. You’re both going to be nervous. You’re  _ supposed  _ to be.”

Alison nods and moves her head back and forth in a form of admission, “You’re right.”

Without looking up from putting away her lunch, Aria rambles, “Let me just tell you, I’m loving this new trend lately.”

Ignoring her, the blonde continues with their prior conversation, “I’m surprised I’m even…” she makes an exaggerated face, raising her eyebrows and not daring to stare ahead at Aria.

“In the mood?” the thought-finisher comes through a cheeky tone, the shorter girl snickering.

“Yeah,” she bows her head at the bluntness, “but, lately, it’s been…” the same face from before resurfaces, Alison constantly tiptoeing around the subject ━ until Aria is replying, and, suddenly, her eyes widen with cheeks reddening just barely.

“What about that thing CeCe bought you?” it’s so nonchalant that Alison wonders if she’s talking to the real Aria, feeling so-unbelievably caught off-guard by the question that her mouth drops open just as someone walks by the classroom, in the hallway.

It’s not even like Aria was aware of the exchange, CeCe randomly tossing a sex toy at Alison months ago without the item being asked for or even mentioned ━  _ ever _ . It only came with a random  _ “Oh, by the way, I bought you this”  _ as the small package smacked her in the chest, focusing on the plastic’s wording with a confused face until her eyes widened to the point of looking like she does in the current situation. Following that day, she never mentioned it to anyone, and it stayed in her drawer. Heck, she isn’t even sure where it is today, now that she’s moved.

Alison feels like a deer caught in headlights, Aria simply staring at her in a way that, again, says she’s waiting for an answer. With her mouth opening and closing in a failure to retaliate, Alison internally stresses, her voice cracking once she tries to whisper, “Is  _ nothing  _ sacred anymore?”

“Yeah, well,” Aria looks away with raised eyebrows, “she got me one, too.”

“Great, it must’ve been a two-for-one deal,” the blonde mumbles, shaking her head and rubbing her temple with two fingers.

“Though I know a little skin-on-skin beats anything a sex toy could possibly do,” it’s a mindless response, Aria searching through some papers on her desk with a taunting smirk on her face because she knows she’s grinding against Alison’s nerves, her friend taking a deep breath.

“ _ That’s _ a piece of information I didn’t need to know.”

“I’m just saying,” she shrugs as she puts her palms flat on the desk. “Whatever helps alleviate stress.”

“I’m not necessarily  _ stressed _ ,” Alison stresses, the irony thick in her voice. “I just… want her. I feel weird, like… I’m young again,” every memory swirls around the emotions she feels when they’re together ━ like the idea of taking Emily behind those run-down bleachers at the park, just so they could make out like teenagers ━ and every single feeling that bites at her limbs whenever they’re close, causing her desires to spike within her core until she all but throws herself at the brunette. 

“You must think you’re a lot older than you really are,” the following comment is sarcastic and playful.

“That’s not what I mean.”

Aria laughs, relenting, “No, I know. I get it, I do.”

With an airy exhale, she continues, “You want to make this relationship official, in a way, like ‘normal’ couples do,” she air quotes. “Just make sure you’re really ready.”

“I  _ know  _ I am,” her conviction is laced through a curt laugh, making it sound darkly comical.

Feet away, her friend arches an eyebrow, and Alison glares with a defensive “Just trust me.”

Surrendering hands are given, both girls dropping the topic as Alison thinks about, roughly, her entire relationship, and how it’s given her new life, of sorts ━ no pun intended. She always thought that Elliott freed her from her old self ━ the one that had taken away her realistic identity while she wandered around aimlessly with no real plan ━ but, now that she’s grown into this new shell with Emily by her side, including the information they have regarding the child she’s carrying, she realizes that she’s better off this way. This is where she’s designed to be, in simple terms, and it’s enlightening, vibrant, and important to her. 

In a way, what she’s learned about herself while Emily has been around is the epitome of what her identity as a person is, coming from vehemently expressing how better off she is alone, how she can take care of herself, and everything else even though it’s possible that, months from now, her “positive thinking” would’ve fallen through. Now, Alison notices how, yes, she’s still independent, but independence doesn’t have to mean she’s alone, and the two concepts can intermingle with a warm comfort that she didn’t really know she needed. Emily is like a breath of fresh air ━ like something you don’t come into contact with until you let yourself out of your comfort zone and taste something new, then you go back to what you used to take in, and it’s… not so comforting anymore. 

Alison falls silent quickly, her eyes fixated on the legs of Aria’s teaching desk, and the brunette picks up on it once she sees her friend’s posture. 

“Is there something else on your mind?” her question is careful and friendly.

“No, it’s…” Alison wants to deny it, she really does, because it’s not like whatever’s on her mind is necessarily something to talk about now that everything is all said and done, but Aria gives her a look that tells her not to give her a bullshit answer, and suddenly a large breath is leaving her lungs.

“Come on, Ali,” her signature, slight puppy-dog eyes are given, Alison wanting to make a face of faux disgust because it’s not fair.

She waits, teeth picking at the loose piece of skin on her bottom lip because the thought ━ alone ━ makes her anxious; delving into her past isn’t the most peachy, and, while Alison doesn’t want to fixate on it since she’s looking forward to the future, preferably with Emily, she can’t just ignore what’s been at the back of her mind. 

“Why didn’t you guys tell me about Elliott?” it’s soft, curious and childish, like she’s been wondering, all this time, but was afraid to speak up.

“We told you why we didn’t,” Aria frowns. “We thought the girl he was hanging out with was his cousin or some relative, or someone that didn’t really matter,” she explains again, Alison bowing her head. “We didn’t want to make something out of what we assumed was nothing.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about,” when she lifts her chin again, her eyes are pleading. “Like, why didn’t you guys tell me how…  _ not right _ … we were together?” 

Aria shrinks back against her chair, thinking to herself while Alison continues, “I mean, I met CeCe  _ through  _ Elliott, so maybe that’s a reason why she never said much, but…” her voice turns into a mutter, gaze drifting downward.

“We didn’t think it was our place to say anything,” after a small round of thinking, Aria offers her a small shrug and her best answer. “We could give you our opinions, yeah, and we  _ tried _ , but you never really seemed to listen, so we didn’t want to get on your bad side with accusations and lectures.”

“Am I really that horrible?” Alison’s voice squeaks with her forehead creasing, bringing some entertainment back to the conversation.

It’s given a chuckle, “Not horrible, but you can get a  _ little  _ defensive.” 

Alison shifts her jaw and looks down at the desk in front of her, the shininess acting like a grey mirror that she can’t see herself in. She catches Aria staring at her, however, and mutters, “I’m sorry,” with genuinity ━ something that the brunette furrows her eyebrows at.

“Why are you apologizing?”

She bites her inner cheek, shrugging and explaining, “In a way, I feel like I picked him over you, and I’m sorry for that.”

“It’s not necessary, but I accept your apology, if that’s what you’d like,” Aria smiles, the girl in front of her quickly matching it. “Ali, it’s in the past. You’re with Emily now, and…” 

“And?”

Her grin widens, turning admirable, “And we couldn’t be happier for you.”

“Yeah?” again, the blonde mirrors the expression, though hers is a bit more childish and honored. 

“She takes care of you, and, well, you know me,” a laugh breaks her sentence. “I’m a romantic. I think your story is just… one of a kind, really, and the way you’re handling it…” she seals her lips, making a face with a nod. “I just can’t help but think this was supposed to happen, and I’m happy you two have been able to work things out and stick together.”

“Honestly,” Alison begins, voice lowering, “I couldn’t be happier for me, either,” she pauses. “Thank you, though. That means a lot. Everything you’ve said and done, actually.”

Aria smiles, her secondhand fulfillment constant as Alison clears her throat with a sudden “I should probably go. Your lunch is going to be over at any minute.”

“Thanks for reminding me,” it’s dull and sarcastic as the blonde begins to get up, Aria following her as she wanders over to the door. “Don’t forget to ask Emily about Thanksgiving.”

Alison turns around, ready to nod and respond with something to confirm that she’ll ask the girl tonight, but Aria interrupts with a smug “You know, before or after you knock her socks off. And, well, everything else━”

“Ce has tainted you so badly,” the blonde pretends to be shattered, arms slumped. “I’m so sorry,” it’s matched with a laugh, Aria doing the same as they hear a bell ring throughout the hall. “ _ And _ that’s my cue. Have fun.”

“ _ Again _ , thanks,” Aria rolls her eyes just as Alison turns to leave.

Her feet quickly take her past the final corner of the hallway until she’s faced with the doors to exit the building, the parking lot a number of feet away. 

Like most of today, her nerves are tossed back and forth within her brain, lip constantly snagged between her teeth, and all she wants to do is get home and relax while texting Emily. She wonders if the girl is still waiting for a reply, their conversation being cut short once the blonde left her meeting, but maybe it’s a good thing that’ll drum up more desire between them. Clearly, it’s not going to stop until something just…  _ happens _ . 

Alison thinks about it, remembering the effort Emily put into their date and how nicely it went. The brunette deserves to have that effort returned, and maybe it really  _ is  _ Alison’s turn to push their relationship into a new territory. As before thought, they’re never going to get anywhere solely based on Emily’s advances, primarily because there haven’t been many aside from frequent kissing and those few instances of wandering fingertips, and Alison is much more straightforward ━ despite what she’s said to Aria. 

Something’s gotta give, she thinks, and, as she slides into the driver’s seat of her car with the door slamming shut behind her, perhaps that “something” will come in the embodiment of a nice dinner, her normal seduction, and a courageous, enticing outfit.

Pulling out her phone, she ignores the latest text from Emily, immediately sending the girl a message asking what she’s doing later tonight. At first, Alison thinks she’s going to have to wait to hear back, turning her car’s ignition on and getting buckled up, but her eyes glance at the phone’s screen to see typing bubbles, signifying that, clearly, the brunette has nothing else to do but wait around for a message. She smiles.

**E** ━ “Uh… nothing. I think.”

**A** ━ “You’re staying over.”

**E** ━ “Someone’s demanding today.”

**E** ━ “Can’t wait to see you, though.”

A smirk covers her latest smile, feeling devious and eager to see Emily’s face when Aria’s advice is taken later tonight:  _ “I think she’d be beyond thrilled if she walked in to find you looking like you know what you want.” _

With a newly established plan, the tires of her car crunch along the pavement, driving off.

 

X X X

 

“What’s so appealing that you’ve turned completely mute for ten, solid minutes?” Spencer nudges into her friend’s side, pretending to peer over her shoulder to see what’s on the girl’s phone screen ━ until it’s blackened as Emily all but drops the device onto the diner’s counter below her hands because, hell, it’d be held against her forever if they caught what she’s been texting Alison about.

“Not to mention…  _ blushy _ ,” Toby emphasizes the word, adding onto his fiancée’s accusation with Emily straightening her back out, laughing shakily, and pretending that she doesn’t know what they’re talking about even though, seriously, her face has felt on fire for most of the day ━ a constant reminder of how well Alison does with her words, like they’re weapons, all on their own.

Before she can mutter any relative, half-assed excuses to push the topic away from herself, Hanna and Mona join in from where they stand behind the counter in the dimmed, almost-empty diner, the dark-haired girl (accurately) theorizing, “My guess is that her relationship is  _ finally  _ reaching its boiling point, threatening to spill over at  _ any  _ moment.”

It ends with a smug, dramatic and growing grin, Mona speaking with passion ━ similar to someone emphatically rehearsing a monologue in a Broadway play. 

Emily wants to deny it and express that they’re simply having a fluffy conversation via text, but it’s been everything opposing innocent, all day, and, admittedly, it’s gotten to the point where she wonders if she should take a cold shower before seeing her girlfriend tonight. Adding onto that, it doesn’t help that the blonde sounds so demanding, another turn-on, and as if she knows what she wants and is ready to get it, no matter what. It’s a little nerve-wracking, on the other hand, but still so,  _ so  _ appealing, and the brunette wishes that the night would come sooner. 

“Well, wasn’t  _ that  _ detailed,” Spencer’s comment is more so stated rather than asked as it brings Emily back to the conversation, the girl’s eyebrow quirked at Mona. 

“Don’t be gross. I was talking metaphorically,” she says matter-of-factly, Emily being silently grateful that the conversation has seemingly━ 

“How’s the ‘you’re having my baby’ thing going?” Hanna not-so-tactfully asks, breaking the brunette’s thankfulness that the spotlight was slowly turning away from being on her.

Spencer gives Hanna a look while Emily thinks, glaring at the blonde for being so blunt and invasive. Secretly and honestly, however, they’re all curious, especially because the brunette has been nothing but smiles since she shuffled into the diner with a certain hop to her step. Everyone narrowed their eyes at her body language, happy for their friend but also skeptical and ready to ask questions about everything, and Emily saw their stares.

_ “What?” she stops in her tracks, eyes darting between her friends. _

_ “Nothing,” they all chime in unison, four, guilty, forced grins being flashed in her direction. _

“It’s… I don’t know,” her thoughts diminish. “It’s… well, it’s not bad, I guess. Not in my opinion, I━”

“Okay, are you going to come out with a full thought at any point today?” Mona interrupts her mindless, broken-apart rambling, Emily’s mouth just hanging open before her jaw shifts, she gathers something with a firm decisiveness, and tries again.

“We’re not focusing on that,” it comes with a shrug. “Right now, I think we’re just getting a read for each other and this new relationship. We want to make it work.”

“What is ‘it,’ though?” Hanna pries. “Your relationship, just you two, or… including the baby?”

“For now, just us two. I haven’t brought up the baby, recently. I want to make sure our relationship, as a couple, is solid before anything,” she takes a breath.

“I think that’s smart,” Spencer offers. “I’m not saying that because I don’t think you could make it work, I promise, but… I’m proud of you for taking time with this.”

“And it seems to be paying off,” Mona’s words are prodding, begging to get more information out of the brunette who can’t help but smile.

She thinks back on the last week and how close they’ve become, both physically and emotionally, leaving her with a desire to stick by the blonde’s side each and every day. In the past seven days, Emily’s probably seen the inside of her apartment for a total of seven hours, only going there to grab stuff, sit around while Alison is out and about, or sometimes shower. Otherwise, she’s been held hostage in the blonde’s apartment ━ in some instances, literally ━ with a warmth surrounding her while Alison burrows into her side or lies on top of her. It makes her feel wanted, and needed, and overall whole, causing her to smile again and again. 

Until she met Alison, she didn’t know that this emotion was real, mimicking the kind you see in movies where the two leads can’t get enough of each other while the viewer thinks it’s a bit forced or over-exaggerated. Now, she understands, and maybe some people tend to look at them, while they’re out and about, like their connection is too bold to be real, but Emily just wants to drown in it. Whatever they have going for them, baby and all… it’s important to her ━ vital, more like ━ and, when the time comes, she’ll be happy to discuss the future with Alison.

“I’ll take that as a solid yes,” the same girl sips on her glass of water, everyone ━ aside from Emily ━ snickering.

At first, she shakes her head, ready to escape the conversation again, but something inside her body forces her tongue to be honest, spilling the information, “Yeah, actually. We haven’t…” she makes a face, “done what you’re hinting at yet, but I’m happy.”

“So, your relationship is going well?” it’s Toby’s turn to dig further, smiling.

“‘Great’ is a better word to describe it,” her sheer honesty stuns some of them, getting head nods and raised eyebrows. “You’d be surprised how much fun we have together. I feel like a teenager again, even though it’s far past that level of immaturity.”

“I’m impressed,” Spencer purses her lips, still nodding. “Who would’ve thought you’d be able to buy a girlfriend with ten dollars.”

Emily deadpans, staring at her friend who begins to laugh with everyone else. After a few seconds, she joins in on the amusement, shaking her head.

“Look, I don’t care what price she was,” Hanna offers, her words traveling into a serious setting. “All I’m saying is that I better meet her soon.”

“ _ We _ better,” Mona adds, turning to Emily. “You already had your first, official date, and my guess is that you two are going to be sealing the deal in bed,  _ any day _ now, so you’ve had  _ plenty  _ of time to get yourself ready to introduce her to us.” 

The brunette’s mouth opens, ready to protest, but ultimately decides that it’s no use. Instead, she sighs, slumps her shoulders, and relents, “Fine, I’ll bring her here for breakfast someday soon.”

“I can’t wait to interrogate her,” the blonde beams, rubbing her hands together.

“I take it back.”

“I’m kidding, shut up,” she rolls her eyes, “but, seriously, we should all hang out soon. Caleb, too.”

“Actually,” Toby butts in, “Spence and I were invited to Thanksgiving dinner at a friend’s house, and he told me I could bring whoever I’d like. ‘The more, the merrier,’ he said,” it ends with a chuckle, everyone giving him varying expressions that say they’re thinking of accepting the possible offer.

“It’d be nice, having everyone together,” Spencer muses, looking at the others.

“I’ll ask him, then,” Toby glances at the girl beside him, getting a solid, affirmative nod.

He faces Emily within the following second, smirk returning when he says, “And  _ you’ll  _ have to ask Alison.” 

“We’ll see,” she pretends to dismiss the idea, more so when she looks in Hanna’s direction with a glare that says it’s her fault for saying she’ll interrogate the girl. 

“I was kidding!” her voice squeaks, throwing her hands above her head.

Her phone lights up beneath her palm as it rests on the counter, her friends’ conversations meshing together while she fades out of the current scene. She uncovers the device’s screen, holding it close and at an angle so no one can see what Alison replied, and Emily’s heart flutters like it’s been doing for the extent of the day, causing her eagerness about the night to skyrocket:

_ “I've got a surprise for you.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think it's safe to say we're traveling into a bold territory that'll shove these two along, in a different setting.
> 
> Also, we're finally reaching the point where they're bound to understand that they're in this for only the two of them ━ lacking Alison's pregnancy ━ and, after that, we'll find ourselves in a place where we're able to acknowledge everything little by little, almost like a wall gets broken down.
> 
> The theme of maturity came up quite a few times within this chapter, not only when Alison was expressing to Aria how she wants to take that step (you know… the step) with Emily as though they're young lovers, but also throughout the conversation while Alison is talking to Aria about Elliott and her previous relationship/how she grew into a more mature person nowadays. Although, from the very beginning of this story, Alison has had a sturdy head on her shoulders… she knows she's still changing, and Emily is helping her notice; before this point, she figured she was at the stage where she doesn't have to grow up any more, but her eyes are opening and understanding that she hadn't matured before, but only simmered down from being the once-mindless person that she used to be. ━ For Emily, with maturity, Spencer even acknowledges it toward the end of this update where she commends her friend for taking her time working through this; although everyone supports Emily, they still want her to be smart with this, and I think that's fair.
> 
> Bigger things that happened in this chapter are all along the lines of these two mentally swaying into ideas involving them having a child together; we're slowly inching toward (what I imagine is) our ultimate destination ━ or "endgame," since we all enjoy the word. Sometimes, it may seem like these thoughts are doubled-up but reworded, and that's because they basically are ━ however it's not my way of saying, "Shit, I have no idea what to write." We're drifting between both girls' thoughts, and they're practically on the same page without either of them coming forth to admit it. They may make us frustrated, but they're going to reach a point, in the nearish future, where they're ready to come to terms with everything ━ and then they'll come to terms together.
> 
> So, we have Thanksgiving to look forward to (not to mention Halloween which we'll also see them celebrate). Also, they'll finally find out that some of their friends already know each other, which isn't a huge, "OMG" moment, but it's still kinda funny, in my opinion. Small world. ━ Side note: I'm constantly irritated that I'm going to have to post holiday chapters NOT on the actual holiday. It's just so messy… but I guess I'll have to push my distaste aside; maybe the chapters will bring us a sense of festivity on random days.
> 
> Before I go… who loved Alison's conversation with Aria? Like I said, it's probably one of my favorites because I feel we never really got any one-on-one time with these two, so it's nice to see them have a heart-to-heart ━ especially when Alison vents to Aria about something so huge, like how she's so much better with Emily than she ever was with Elliott. I think it's a testament to the idea of true friendship when you're able to ask your friend their option/their view on something, and have a deep conversation, even if you're in a random, high school classroom.
> 
> Now, I don't know exactly what day I'll be back, but it'll be before Tuesday. I'd say Sunday, however I never know if something will be coming up in terms of holiday shopping, family business, etc. Don't worry, though, I wouldn't put off the update for video games. You'll see me soon, that's a given.
> 
> Thanks for joining me!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, guys, I haven't seen you in like… years (days*).
> 
> How's your weekend going? Mine is a bit bumpy, I'll admit, mostly because I'm feeling entirely overwhelmed by just about everything, but hopefully it'll clear up during the beginning of the new week ━ especially since I've gotten my holiday shopping done.
> 
> Anyway, I know y'all just wanna dive right into the good stuff, and I'm assuming that because I received a handful of comments/reviews like "WHAT?! YOU'RE ENDING IT RIGHT THERE?!"
> 
> I have one question for those commenters: Since when have I made things easy on you people?
> 
> "You have a point." ━ You're damn right I have a point! Real talk, though, thanks for always commenting. Makes me chuckle with deviousness when I earn enthusiastic reactions like that, so keep on sending 'em.
> 
> Now, *clears throat*, let's see what's in store for us today.

“Wait,” Alison’s beaming grin peaks, “your birthday is next month?”

Emily shakes her head sternly, “Don’t even think about it,” a nervous, joking yet serious laugh disrupting the statement until it’s tailing her words.

“Think about what?” the other girl shrugs one shoulder in an exaggerated motion, leaning back against her kitchen chair and flashing her best, innocent smirk at her girlfriend.

She’s given a pointed look ━ one that lectures her for everything that she may or may not possibly do for “birthday planning” ━ and Alison only seals her lips in response, gaze floating off to nothing in particular against the apartment’s east wall. Emily only continues mapping out her features, noting how faint the girl’s makeup is ━ a compliment to her overall, casual yet classy outfit made up of a button-up blouse and skinny jeans, her hair done to perfection as it cascades over her shoulders.

When the brunette first laid eyes upon her, she felt stunned at both the girl’s outfit and her confidence, Alison opening her apartment door with an automatic, flirtatious glint in her eye that was only supported by her sultry words:  _ “Glad you could make it.” _

They both knew that Emily wouldn’t miss it for the world ━ for more reasons than one ━ but, for whatever reason, the comment still held a weighted meaning, probably more so to the brunette who nearly panicked so hard that she passed out and didn’t make it over, beforehand; getting ready for the apparent, presumed date was absolute hell, Emily pacing back and forth once she made it back to her apartment following her diner hangout-session with her friends until she finally fled into her bedroom, clapped her hands together, and muttered a no-funny-business _ “Okay.” _

Her outfit ━ after quite a few options and a couple eyebrow-quirks ━ ended up just as smooth as Alison’s; Emily wears a thin, black t-shirt with dark skinny jeans to oppose the blonde’s light-colored ones, her hair down in its natural form.

Leaving her apartment was difficult, hand lingering on the doorknob as she made every excuse to check and recheck her makeup, outfit, and belongings, but the final push came in the form of Alison texting her a prodding, perhaps knowing message:

_ “Your dinner’s getting cold.” _

She arrived quicker than Alison expected, the blonde realistically only finishing up their meal’s preparation as it sat on the stovetop once she turned to the door which was knocked on. 

Hesitation came, much like Emily’s, but hers was due to her eyes floating in the direction of her bedroom with internal questions relating to cleanliness and further set-up, afterwards feeling her cheeks warm up at a too-early thought. Clearing her throat, her feet took her to the door, putting on an intense, “I missed you” kind of facade that hid every mirrored nervousness swirling in Emily’s stomach, only a foot away.

They couldn’t help themselves ━ or, technically, Emily couldn’t ━ and their lips were connected within seconds of the brunette stepping inside her apartment, cupping her cheeks and kissing her instantly with a sense of longing and desperation that Alison could practically taste.

_ “Okay, now your dinner’s  _ really  _ gonna get cold,” she smiles while saying it, hands gripping at Emily’s shirt. _

_ “You should’ve known I’d want to kiss you once I got here,” her argument is weak yet valid, Alison muses, touching their lips together again. _

_ “I was actually planning on holding out on you until after we ate,” breaking apart, Alison teases with a smug grin, backing up and turning around so she can walk over to the stove. _

_ “With the way you were texting me all day? I don’t think so.” _

_ Her confidence is stunning, Alison arches an eyebrow as she peers over her shoulder to see Emily lingering near the beginning of the wrap-around counter, throwing the rebuttal, “You were just as bad,” to her girlfriend. _

_ “I was only responding to you,” she shrugs. “I’m innocent in this.” _

_ “I’ll remember that later.” _

_ “What’s later?” _

_ “Why do you want to know?” _

_ “Not this again,” Emily begins to laugh, leaning her head backward to stare at the ceiling in a form of faux aggravation.  _

_ “You started it.” _

Nevertheless, the brunette relented with a sigh, putting on a cute and genuine curiosity with a matched _ “Do you need any help?” _ that Alison shook her head at, turning around to smile and nod at a chair.

_ “Just relax,” _ she said, Emily not knowing why but gaining a new wave of anxiousness from the way it was spoken so lightly, so caringly, with the world’s smallest grin on Alison’s face.

Once they sat down to eat, Emily, of course, complimented the girl on her cooking, getting a bashful _ “I hope you like it.”  _

Their conversations transitioned into those of a certain domesticity, asking each other how their days went ━ intentionally excluding their texting topics ━ and Emily, at one point, asked how Alison felt, the blonde breaking into a big smile as she answered with positivity and enthusiasm. 

At the time, she recalled how nice she’s felt since being around Emily, knowing it’s probably a coincidence that her morning sickness hasn’t returned for three days, but also not caring because her mood has been steady ━ aside from the few, hormonal mishaps involving irritation directed at work and her general, sexual frustration.

Alison clears her throat once blinking hard, having gotten lost in thought for a while as brown eyes stare at her with warmth and attentiveness. She pushes her chair out, a nanchelaunce to her posture, and begins to pick up their plates, mindlessly drawling, “Speaking of next month…” with a sort of remembrance, “are you doing anything for Thanksgiving?”

“Actually,” Emily perks up, straightening her back as she remains at the table, “Spencer’s fiancé mentioned something about his friend having a get-together━”

“Wait,” Alison cuts her off.

“What?”

“This is going to be a really random question if I’m wrong,” she says, more so to herself whilst turning around to face the girl who’s now standing. “Spencer’s fiancé is named Toby, right?”

“Uh, yeah, but━”

Another time, she’s cut off, this time by a dumbfounded laugh.

“Aria used to talk about her double dates with Ezra’s friend, Toby, and his fiancée,” the puzzle pieces fall into place, Emily’s eyes drifting away in a sudden form of confusion mixed with understanding. “I just kinda put two-and-two together after you mentioned his friend inviting him,” Alison’s next explanation is vague, coming with squinted eyes that signify it’s a massive realization. “Mostly because Aria only asked me today.”

“Wow,” Emily’s eyebrows furrow, mild amusement slumping her shoulders. “Maybe that’s why Aria looked familiar to me. I’m sure I’ve seen pictures of her with Spencer, or somewhere on social media,” the last part is muttered, the brunette’s voice trailing off as they stand feet apart.

Alison studies her face’s profile, staring off to the side of the room for a moment. She doesn’t get the opportunity to smile absentmindedly like she felt her mouth twitching with intent to do, Emily turning back to her with a quick “How didn’t we figure that out before?”

At the question, the blonde rubs her lips together and tilts her head to the side, dimples showing in a form of silliness but also sultriness once she speaks again.

“I guess we’ve been involved in our own, private bubble,” her eyes drift along her girlfriend’s outfit with a direct, preying undertone, Emily feeling speechless.

With the response, Alison slowly pushes herself away from the counter behind her, approaching the other girl little by little while Emily feels like she’s suffocating, where she stands. 

“So, Thanksgiving…” her scratch-and-clawed attempt to escape her own nervousness fails, especially when Alison is two feet away from her with the same, lustful demeanor as before ━ or maybe it’s even deepened within the past round of seconds.

Alison smiles softly, “Would you like to be my date?”

“I’d love to,” is all Emily can muster when they’re less than a foot away.

“Just for Thanksgiving?” as the distance between them slims down more and more, her steps get smaller, practically shuffling across the floor until there’s roughly five inches of proximity separating them, adding to the massive amount of heat surrounding their stances.

“For any time you’d like,” the whisper is raspy, barely coming out.

“Tonight?” although she wants to seal the girl's lips with a wanting kiss, Alison holds herself back, looking into struggling eyes.

“Do you want to go out somewhere?”

“Mm, no,” Alison hums, focus dropping to Emily’s lips before regaining their locked eyes with obvious intentions, “I was thinking more like… a stay-at-home date,” the words just make it out of her mouth before it’s pressed to the corner of her girlfriend’s lips, moving in a way that’s so slow, neither are sure if it’s a full kiss. 

“I’m listening…”

Instead of voicing what she wants, Alison backs up only enough for Emily to catch the look she’s giving her ━ one that says a lot more than words could ever express. The brunette’s lips part in response, not looking dumbfounded but still a hint apprehensive, and Alison entwines their fingers between their bodies, her other hand coming up to brush some hair behind the girl’s ear. Emily looks down for a brief moment, trying to find something to occupy her nerves, but Alison gives her a better escape in the form of kissing her with little to no hesitation, pointer finger now curved underneath the brunette’s chin in a way that tells her to stay eye-level and confident.

It’s not short and sweet, nor is it innocent, whatsoever. In fact, it grows so deep, so quickly, that Emily pulls her closer when a spark flickers within her core, a result of Alison’s tongue brushing against hers while the hand from before is scraping against the soft skin of her cheek once it drifts from her chin. Soon, needy fingertips drag along her jaw, following her bone structure until fingers are tangling in her dark hair, and she suddenly feels the growing desire to mesh their bodies more, ultimately shuffling their embrace forward with a little help from Alison who gets hit with the same, mutual longing.

Alison’s backside hits the counter in no time, Emily’s leg coming to a standstill between the girl’s thighs as teeth tug on her lower lip with a certain stickiness surrounding their mouths from moving at opposing paces due to an overwhelming amount of frustration that hadn’t been this heavy until they finally let themselves go. Fingers remain gingerly twisted in Emily’s hair, their hands un-entwined with the brunette’s resting on Alison’s hips.

They back up just enough to look into each other’s eyes, a silent conversation between them that both asks questions and gives answers, and the ignited pressure within them doesn’t simmer down, Alison giving her girlfriend another intense look that Emily instantly picks up on. 

The brunette’s hands drift down to Alison’s thighs, helping her onto the counter with ease as their teeth almost clash together when they want to kiss again. Ankles wrap around Emily’s backside, pulling her impossibly closer with a small laugh that’s sounded against Alison’s mouth, and her hands linger on the blonde’s mid-back with nails gently scratching along the fabric of her blouse.

The motion isn’t missed by Alison, nor is the way Emily pulls her to the very edge of the counter with an unintentional shift being felt against the crotch of her jeans, but it’s not unwanted, either. 

Her body heat spikes ounce by ounce, each stimulation being received wholeheartedly, and a tiny, breathy grunt bubbles in her throat while they kiss; with the combined build-up of today’s messages and the week’s frustration, all she wants to do is beg for Emily to not mess around, but there are a bundle of reasons as to why she refuses ━ one being that she intends on taking this slow, no matter if her girlfriend feels more patient, or not.

On the other hand, Alison wants to be comfortable, plus she doesn’t want to ruin the rest of the night’s plans, so she nudges herself away from Emily whose eyes appear a shade darker than normal, and the sight makes her imagine that she looks the same.

Their eye contact is heavy, mouths magnetic as all they want to do is kiss more and more until they’ve had enough of each other, but Alison breathes deeply while thinking of what she wants to say with a variety of words on the tip of her tongue ━ most borderline straightforwardly sexual. 

Her eyes sparkle, from where Emily stands, the blue color being brightened by the way her eyeliner appears surrounding, but all focus on anything aside from their close, personal position is lost when Alison’s gaze turns a shade devious and ten levels beyond alluring.

“I haven’t shown you your surprise yet.”

The thought of something more waiting for her is appealing but somewhat riddling, Emily asking, “You haven’t?” in a tone that’s unknowingly shocked or calm.

Alison shakes her head, smile forming slowly ━ albeit the expression still holds a devilishness. 

“I thought the surprise was that nice dinner,” it’s a slight accusation, Emily trying to keep up with the girl sitting on the counter, legs holding her hostage.

“Okay,” the remark gets a short yet blunt, breathy chuckle of teasing even though Emily is serious, “the dinner was just something extra that I threw in because I thought you deserved it.”

As the words exit her mouth, she leans forward and kisses Emily’s nose before continuing with a newfound enticement, “But your surprise…” she thinks, smirking with a small laugh that changes her attitude from sincerity to a veil of silliness and coyness. “It’s more like a dessert.”

Emily feels caught off-guard by the outright comparison, the words’ spoken tone being forgotten as Alison’s friskiness floats to the back of the brunette’s mind while theories and images come to the forefront. 

Feeling triumphant at the way Emily’s mouth partly falls open with nothing coming out, eyes staying on hers, Alison nibbles her lower lip and uses her girlfriend’s shoulders to sturdy herself as her butt slides off the counter. Not a second later, she takes the girl’s hand, holding onto it and wondering if it’s her who’s shaking, or Emily. 

Within no time, they’re passing the light switch of the apartment’s main area and her finger is flicking it downward with a simplicity in the motion, Emily dragging her feet along from where she’s pulled toward the bedroom. Alison glances over her shoulder once they hit the threshold of the room, Emily clearing her throat when she realizes that she probably looks like a deer in headlights, but whatever nervousness she was attempting to push away evaporates, anyway, as she peers past her girlfriend to see the space illuminated.

She passes Alison to move further inside, the blonde standing by the door until she’s quietly latching it, careful not to disturb Emily whose eyes roam the room with a childish grin on her face. 

On the dresser and one bedside table, electric, pillar candles flicker with a yellow ambiance, brightening the space just enough to create a lovable, warm vibe that makes Emily’s heart flutter with a side-tendency to simultaneously make it race ━ mainly once her eyes land upon the freshly made bed, opposing its normal, makeshift setting of uneven pillows and half-assed assembling. Everything looks so peaceful and inviting, she thinks, almost forgetting the circumstances surrounding this bedroom-visit until she’s turning around to see Alison looking sheepish, the blonde only steps into the enclosed room.

Emily smiles at her, no words coming out, and Alison takes it upon herself to make the next move.

“You’re not the only one who has their own way of being romantic,” it takes on her normal, signature teasing, though it’s lighthearted with an underlying question asking the girl if she likes it.

“I don’t recall ever trying to be romantic,” Emily approaches slowly, mindlessly, still smiling as Alison does the same so they can meet halfway, standing next to the bed.

“Really? I think your pebble-throwing had underlying intentions.”

The brunette’s smile is erased when Alison kisses her, their fingers entwining between them, however with much more caution than when they ventured in the kitchen. 

Between pecks, Alison finds her voice to keep up her act of confidence, accusing, “You wanted me to invite you up to my apartment so we could make up.”

“They were acorns,” the correction comes with a partial giggle but also bluntness.

“Oh, excuse me.”

Emily earns another kiss to her mouth, “Maybe the second part holds a little truth, though.”

“A little?” the question is mumbled against her lips.

“Mhm.”

Alison backs up not even an inch, grin paving its way across her mouth, “Would you admit it, fully, if I said  _ I  _ wanted to invite you up here so we could make up?”

“Perhaps,” they close the gap again.

They want to be done with the conversation, their thoughts and desires to speak being long gone as Alison’s hands leave Emily’s and drag up her arms, ready to hold her jaw and quicken the pace to regain the heat from before. She doesn’t have the chance, however, because Emily breaks their momentum with soft eyes and the muttered question, “Is this the surprise?” hinting at the surrounding vibe of everything nearby. 

“We’re getting there,” her cuteness causes Alison to smile, but the expression is wiped away when she puts a silent punctuation on her answer, whispering, “Don’t rush,” as she leans back in.

She scraps her plan of cradling Emily’s face like seconds prior, dismissing her own words against moving too fast when her fists gently grasp onto the loose fabric of the brunette’s shirt so their meshed bodies shuffle toward the side of the bed. 

Emily detects their motion, thoughts swirling in her mind of what this means without having much of a confirmation, and the only thing to bring her back down to Earth aside from her ass hitting the mattress is Alison’s soft hands cupping her jaw and deepening the kiss further than any time before. It makes each and every, thought-up word die in Emily’s throat, her hands absentmindedly reaching for Alison’s thighs to keep herself upright when her chin is tilted toward the ceiling with her girlfriend practically hunched over her. As teeth latch onto her lower lip and tug downward in a small, wanting gesture, she feels pressure on her front, edging to push her onto her back and carry on with whatever’s about to transpire. 

The problem, however, is that Emily doesn’t know what’s drumming up, her guesses not valid when there’s not enough confirmation ━ nothing verbal, at least.

“Ali,” to get some solid notion of consent and preparation, Emily stops kissing her, backing up just briefly without coming off like she’s being rejective, “what does all of this mean?”

Alison instantly catches her hesitation, brown eyes noiselessly explaining that she can still turn back and claim this means nothing, if she’s not okay. It makes the premature butterflies in her stomach return ━ the ones she had gotten during their first two meetups ━ and, if she wasn’t certain about what she’s about to do, before, then she is now.

A shy yet coy grin crosses her features, feeling Emily’s fingers shake against the denim of her jeans, and her response pays tribute to their texts from earlier ━ a tactic that proves to be both flirtatious and nudging. 

“What do you think it means?”

The question makes Emily swallow hard, a split-second, reminiscent smile curving her lips until she seals them forcefully while looking into attentive eyes. Normally, like hours ago, she’d try to jokingly run away, or turn the tables on the blonde in front of her, but deep down knows that this is something to be taken seriously. After all, if she’s correct, this is going to be their first time, and it’s something she wants to treat with fragility. Internally ━ at least within some part of her ━ she wonders why her mindset is forcing her to remain cautious with Alison, like she’s so delicate and ready to fall apart, but, in the end, supposes that the reasons are obvious.

With a modest struggle, Emily eventually musters up some strength, whispering, “You’re… ready?” with a tone that’s more inquisitive than stated. 

It only takes three seconds for Alison to slowly nod, a growing smile on her face that’s only mirrored by the conviction of her almost-inaudible confirmation, “Yeah.”

The lone-worded answer seems to take Emily by surprise, not in an evidently shocked way, but judging by the manner her lips part and eyebrows raise like she wasn’t necessarily expecting it. 

Alison keeps the positive decisiveness on her face, in the meantime, hoping to ease her girlfriend’s worries by stroking her cheeks using her thumbs, eyes flickering between Emily’s mouth and equally distracted focus.

“Are you sure?” in any other situation, Alison would giggle at Emily’s need for a double-approval ━ not to mention the way she requested it ━ but a breathy laugh doesn’t even make it out of her mouth before she’s answering.

“Positive,” only the first two syllables reflect in the air before her lips are sealed through her own yearning, constantly wanting to cut their conversations short because, as they get deeper into the night, her imagination drifts more and more, mainly backtracking and playing vivid, uninnocent scenes on a loop ━ the majority derived from the week’s frustration, but mostly today’s.

Now that realization flows through the atmosphere, Alison notices Emily’s shift in attitude; the brunette’s hands grab at her thighs as opposed to being gingerly placed along the denim material, her lips display a matched desire, and it seems she’s attempting to take control of the position from where she sits on the edge of the mattress. 

Alison doesn’t let her, realistically, and, once her body is heated to a temperature that’s borderline unbearable, she brushes her fingertips down Emily’s face until she’s undoing her own blouse, keeping their lips moving accordingly despite how out-of-sync they’ve become due to impending opportunity. Teeth bite her lower lip like she had done to Emily in plenty of previous cases, a soft grunt coming from her throat at the abrupt motion, and her shirt is shed from her torso.

Emily hadn’t caught onto what Alison was doing during their kiss, only feeling the girl’s shirt brush against her hands once it was tumbling onto the floor. Now, her eyes flutter open as she puts some space between them, mouth opening a fraction when it’s confirmed, yet again, that Alison planned tonight instead of making the decision on a whim; the garment that had been hidden by her girlfriend’s blouse finally lies visible, being blue lace and attention-seeking. There’s a clip between the girl’s breasts, Emily wanting to reach out with three fingers to snap it open and bury her face against soft skin, however only admiring it with vigilant eyes that Alison smirks at.

“You can do the rest,” Alison whispers, Emily’s gaze peering upward to see her girlfriend’s head tilted to the side.

She’s not sure if it’s a dare, or if Alison doesn’t mind her obvious nervousness even though she’s trying to smash it to pieces, but, either way, the knowledge of the blonde dressing up for the occasion really sets a new tone, giving Emily a better ignition of confidence.

Her hands pull Alison closer by her thighs, the girl’s legs straddling one of hers as she’s perched on the edge of the bed, and they’re drifting upward to drag along the dip of her lover’s lower back within seconds. At the same time, Emily leans forward, pressing small yet open-mouthed kisses to the newly exposed skin of Alison’s torso, starting from her stomach, drifting to her sides, and heading upwards until her girlfriend leans down to catch a peck on her lips.

The path of short embraces doesn’t last long, in the end, because Emily’s hands drag back downward until still-shaking yet determined fingers are plucking at the button of Alison’s jeans, undoing the garment completely as she tilts her chin upward again. The silent question gets another nod, Alison realizing that she’ll likely be repeating the same, affirming indication throughout the night, and Emily mimics it in hopes of psyching herself up to the task.

“Take your time,” Alison taunts with a round of sarcasm, hoping it eases the girl’s nervousness at least a bit due to the attitude being their relationship’s natural essence. 

“Didn’t you tell me not to rush?” Emily looks up, quirking an eyebrow. “Or is that only when you’re in control?”

“Excuse me?” she laughs. “I’m  _ still  _ in control.”

The rebuttal gets an eye-roll, but their playful banter gives Emily a boost that pushes her to feel beyond comfortable, her fingers curling around the waistband of Alison’s jeans and slowly pulling them down her legs with the blonde assisting. Once they’re discarded, Emily drags her fingertips up the back of Alison’s thighs, her girlfriend gaining a wave of goosebumps at the tickling, straight-line sensation against tender skin, and the feeling is enough to make her legs tingle.

Without another word, and interrupting Emily’s sensual, tormenting motions without warning, Alison pushes the girl toward the pillows so they’re not at the world’s most awkward angle, instantly crawling on top of her and kissing already-bruised lips. 

A sigh being gifted to her mouth is the next kickstarter, Alison mentally declaring that she’s done trying to keep herself at a slow pace, resulting in her lips making a path of warmth and oncoming sweat down her lover’s jawline and throat, moving to her neck and tending to the area. It brings back memories to when she first kissed Emily’s neck, stemming from the tension of one of their make out sessions during the week, the girl reacting with unmistakable pleasure that she tried to muffle with a bitten bottom lip and palms pressed to her girlfriend’s lower back. 

The response isn’t much different this time, Emily’s nails scratching at her bare, upper thighs with her head tilting back into the pillow, deep breaths and half-assed whimpers vibrating her throat. Alison feels her lower half wanting to shift at the way she reacts, her sounds and obvious appreciation becoming the blonde’s favorite concept, but her body locks when she forces herself into focusing on Emily for the time being.

Nails dig into the opposite side of Emily’s neck as she’s held in place, warm lips working against her skin and nipping at certain areas, occasionally hissing at the stimulation once a tongue soothes the forming mark. She tries to focus on the ceiling above the bed, the faint, orangish glow of nearby, electric candles creating a pattern against the white color, but it’s no use when a euphoric wave comes over her, a tongue dragging along her skin and causing her body to relax so heavily that her eyes close.

It almost distracts her from Alison’s wandering, free hand that glides down her body ever-so-smoothly, grasping at the hem of her shirt and dragging it upward with the utmost assistance of Emily lifting her back from the mattress once she’s able to apply the remaining bit of her energy to the task. She bites the corner of her lower lip when Alison sucks on her skin, breathing picking up more by the second with the intent to moan soon, and her shirt lies bunched along her stomach while between them as both girls have to pause for a brief round of seconds.

When Alison feels their skin stick together for the first time as a result of shifting her legs and all but accidentally collapsing onto the girl beneath her, the previously hardworking mouth hesitates against Emily’s neck, reveling in the newfound sensation and closeness until she pushes herself away from the body below, giving them enough room to fully remove the disgruntled shirt and toss it to the side of the bed. At the fresh sight of bare skin with the imaginative wonders of what she could do to it, Alison’s heart screams at her to feel the softness against hers by resuming her former position, but she ultimately decides to keep their pace mutual, causing her to kiss the girl’s neck once more before drifting downward. 

Emily leans back into the pillow with a sharp inhale, Alison’s mouth vibrating along her chest and down the middle of her stomach, and fingers waste no time before undoing her jeans. She waits with a rising and caving chest, sealing her lips as she feels the waistband loosen, and her jeans are deliberately slid down her legs with minimal assistance. Cool air hits her skin, followed by the room’s overall stickiness reaching her new exposure within seconds, and it feels like a century passes before Alison maneuvers her way back upward with mirrored kisses from when she slipped lower. 

Once they’re almost face to face, Emily leans up on her elbows, ready to capture the girl’s lips with contentedness, but she’s instantly pushed back down to the mattress.

With a slight giggle, Alison gets comfortable on top of Emily as a satisfied hum is sounded against the brunette’s mouth. They kiss hard, teeth nearly clacking together as it becomes more common, and Emily’s hands wander up Alison’s thighs and around her hips until the blonde is being pulled forward with a slow pressure, nails scratching against the fabric of her royal blue panties. 

The feeling Alison gets between her legs at the motion is convincing, wanting to feel it repeatedly even though she’s trying so hard to hold onto the last shred of self-limitation. Almost as if Emily read her mind, she does it again, gripping onto her tightly, and Alison’s mouth falls open against hers with a subtle gasp coming out ━ a response that only invites the action to turn into a pattern.

After a conflicted, internal struggle, Alison gradually gives into the rocking motion, pressing down on Emily’s lower torso with a pained face being made while their foreheads lean against one another. She wants to curse at the girl for finding an apparent weakness, especially with intent to use it against her so soon, but her limbs tingle while she manages to hold herself up without letting any kind of words slip from her mouth. Instead, they’re replaced with breaths and sporadic, clenched-teeth moans, so subtle that Emily smirks when attempting to extract deeper ones.

She gives Alison a look, eyes beyond lidded, and leans in to kiss her on the lips without the gesture being reciprocated, only pecking the bottom portion of her mouth a single time before drifting off against her cheek, down the side of her face, and ending up at her neck. The shifting pace against her torso only becomes more profound, like the girl can’t discover a way that gives her the massive release which she’s looking for, and Emily’s right arm wraps around her backside to help her along while her left hand’s fingers wander up Alison’s front side to palm her breast. 

Combined, the three sensations prod at the blonde in hopes of sending her body reeling; her neck being nipped at, center covered in a mild friction that’s the least bit helpful, and a gentle squeezing on her breast continue to push her toward the brink of climax, but there’s something about Emily’s deliberation, handling, and speed that make everything seem pleasurably tedious even though Alison, at this point, already feels her existence breaking down. Emily’s kindness is endearing, and her apprehension is evident yet barely touched upon, however Alison wants to feel more, and, right now, her teeth only clench together with a grunt coming through because, fuck, something’s gotta give.

With her left elbow digging into the pillow next to Emily’s head, Alison manages to use her right to push her girlfriend’s fingers away from her breast, nudging them closer to middle buckle of her bra in a silent plea for her to take a hint. She feels Emily smile against her neck and immediately wants to scold her for it, but the frustration diminishes once they hear the hollow clip of her bra being undone, the garment, after some adjusting, being tossed to the side before they’re both back in their former position.

This time, Emily’s mouth drifts lower, traveling downward before she’s kissing along her lover’s chest with satisfied, deep exhales being given until they’re meshed with pained whines that are gifted as a result of the tongue swirling her nipple. Again, the girl’s gentleness comes through with everything she does, Alison muses while kisses are peppered to the surrounding skin, and it makes her smile while simultaneously enjoying the feelings gracing her body, however she admittedly wants to hear Emily confess to her tenderness, so she gently grabs for the girl’s face so they’re at eye level.

Emily leans in to kiss her, Alison grinning against her mouth although it doesn’t last long because, within seconds, the blonde backs up to rub her lips together.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Did I do something wrong?” she immediately jumps to the worst-case scenario, Alison only giggling while entwining their fingers near Emily’s head.

“No, but I can’t help but feel like you’re constantly assuming that you’re going to do something wrong,” although her voice is teasing, her words hold seriousness, Emily biting her lower lip. “You’re so gentle, and I guess I’m just wondering…” she pauses, “do you not think I can handle anything else?”

“I just want to be careful,” Emily confesses, looking into her eyes, and Alison sees her new identity of vulnerability hidden within the always-warm, brown color.

“You care about me a lot, don’t you?” Alison asks, a faint smile on her face with her voice hardly heard.

In response, the brunette seals her lips, swallows hard, and nods, Alison mimicking it with a sweetness and acceptance, ultimately whispering, “Thank you,” just as their lips touch again.

It brings a new personality to the way they act and react, Alison’s body now slowed down but still begging to be touched, and Emily kisses her harder without lacking her usual sweetness. In the meantime, the blonde takes their entwined fingers and leads them to her breast like minutes ago, setting Emily’s palm in the area and placing hers over so she can squeeze firmly. She still senses hesitance, but her girlfriend complies and follows unspoken direction, being ignited once a moan slips away from Alison, and Emily is tasting it on her tongue. 

Her hand grasps the skin again, the action coming in periodic, consistent spurts, and Alison has to stop kissing Emily whenever it happens because, as her chest grows tender with passing days, it also brings about a new level of satisfaction. The blonde’s hips regain their lustful shift, this time willing and under her own power of deciding how to move, and Emily mimics some of her noises at the fresh, obvious dampness coming through the girl’s panties that feels all too familiar between her own legs. Likewise, friction scatters more sweat across their skin, the only cool air of the room coming through one of the nearby windows, and everything feels so sensual as they remain eye level.

As a frustrated, pained whine mixed with a breath escapes Alison’s lips, her opposite hand purposefully moves Emily’s away from behind her back, bringing it, with some adjusting, around to her frontside until it’s slid between her legs with a subtle, begging smile across her mouth. Emily gets the hint with a small laugh, only brushing her lips past Alison’s in a taunting manner, and she hears the start of a faint “Please” just as she moves the blue fabric to the side.

A lone finger dragging through the length of her folds erases Alison’s agitated, longing features, being replaced by a blissful state with eyes flickering shut and her hands falling to the mattress with her elbows digging into the pillow on both sides of Emily’s head. A small gasp follows, her body shuddering when another finger is added, and the slick space between her legs is tended to with the brunette’s natural movements. The hand formerly on her breast slips away so she can be held in place, Emily’s fingertips trembling against her skin but dragging across with purpose to keep Alison shifting safely. Meanwhile, Emily’s name is tasted on her own tongue for a few seconds longer, grinning as Alison leans her nose against her girlfriend’s with the inability to attempt a kiss once a finger is pushing into her.

Her hips begin to rock again, desperately trying to match the pace of the hand working in an area that throbs with ache, but her body pauses every now and then, almost like she can’t find the right pattern in order to finish herself off. 

It’s granted a whimper, Emily making a mental note of it while kissing down Alison’s neck in order to throw her energy for a loop so it’ll deplete quickly. She tongues the extent of skin, her teeth capturing it occasionally and biting just enough to pull another sound from the girl above her, and her fingers press in all the right places before firmly rubbing across her lover’s clit. 

Alison’s mouth falls open, and a moan tumbles out near Emily’s ear, the brunette suddenly feeling a spike in pressure between her own thighs with a desire to be eased. Now, she finds herself being the one making a pained face, though she’s sure to occupy herself with focusing on Alison as their skin sticks together more than ever before, the damp fabric of her panties making her uncomfortable until she spreads her legs apart a fraction wider.

Nails scratch at Alison’s back, the mouth on her neck creating a hot mist along tender skin, and her hips buck harder without a care to match Emily’s motions, in turn causing a bigger build of pressure to grace her center. She feels her limbs becoming weighed down with tingles and knots within every inch of her body, everything beginning to shut down as a chilly numbness grows where Emily works her fingers. A pleased grin wants to brighten her mouth, a small pang of impression coating her features because, despite Emily’s gentleness, she knows what she’s doing. Instead, her mouth is stuck hanging open with her eyebrows furrowed, sealing her lips forcefully when pulling Emily’s face back to hers because she wants to be close to the girl when she’s finished off. 

Emily moves to sensually peck her bottom lip, her face looking serious and just as satisfied, and, with a lidded focus, she watches as she sends Alison over the edge with a few more drags of her fingers against her girlfriend’s most sensitive area, a cracked moan being all but choked against her mouth with deep, warm breaths following the end of her climax.

Alison’s posture slumps, her lower back feeling sore from moving so strongly while her shoulders gain a stiffness as a result of being in the same position for a while. She doesn’t want to collapse onto Emily so soon, though, acknowledging that she doesn’t want to be done just yet ━ not when she’s had so much planned for tonight ━ and, in order to bring herself back down to Earth, her back straightens while straddling the brunette’s torso, sitting there.

Two hands linger on her thighs, Emily just staring up at her with admiration, and Alison wants to laugh and roll her eyes because she knows she looks the least bit appealing in her disgruntled state. 

To keep the pace moving ━  also in response to erase the girl’s underlying smugness ━ she nudges the brunette’s upper back off the mattress with a sly lip bite shifting her mouth, swiftly undoing Emily’s bra with no trouble before tossing it to the side and pushing her lover back down against the comforter. Next, Alison adjusts her own panties by lifting her body ever-so-slightly, pulling them back into place even though she’d much rather just slip them off for the rest of tonight. 

Emily watches with her lips sealed tightly, the sight of Alison’s skin shimmering due to sweat and the surrounding candles being something she never wants to leave her mind. A dreamy appearance covers her features, not realizing that she’s being stared at with a newfound amount of lust that had been regained over the course of the last, recovering minute. When she looks back into blue eyes, however, her breath gets caught in her throat, trying to force a smile but failing when she feels mesmerized ━ until Alison cocks her head to the side, and, instantly, Emily blinks hard with a tinge of thrilled fear because her attitude has gone from weightless to devious within seconds.

The blonde begins to lean down, her movements slow and preying-upon, only strengthening with confidence when she sees Emily put on a nervous grin with a breathy laugh coming out because, as they get closer, the brunette strives to connect their lips but isn’t granted the embrace; Alison keeps her distance even though they’re not even an inch away, backing up whenever her lover tries to lean forward. Her girlfriend gets frustrated at the rejected advances, coming through a grunt, and Alison toys with her.

“You know what I’ve noticed?” the first words to come from Alison’s mouth since she hit her climax are husky and thick, emphasizing each syllable of every term with intent to pick at Emily’s frustration bit by bit. 

“Hm?” is the only thing she can muster, seeing the blonde tilt her head to the side like before, fingers playing with her hair as if this position and atmosphere aren’t bothering her, in the least sense.

“I’m always on top of you, but it’s never the opposite,” Alison speaks with a light tone, almost like she’s given it a decent amount of thought, eyes narrowing as they lock with Emily’s.

“I… okay,” she can’t figure out what to respond, nerves growing because, yeah, she’s noticed, but it’s not like there’s no reason for it; her tendency to stay gentle with Alison extends far past her movements and how she handles the girl, causing her to swallow hard when she’s caught.

She offers a newer, more-solid “And?” that Alison quirks her eyebrow at.

“ _ And… _ ” lowering herself, she brushes her lips past Emily’s, a smirk on her face, “I want to know what it feels like to be trapped between you and this bed.”

She doesn’t know if it’s a ploy or merely a request, her confidence slipping constantly, feeling like she’s on the edge of a cliff with rocks crumbling beneath her because those piercing blue eyes never let up and they prey on her with the knowledge already grasped, like a weapon that Alison is willing to use against her. Emily takes in a breath.

“What, you don’t like being on top of me?” her question hastily diverts the subject, shooting it off in a different direction as Alison seems interested in the rebuttal.

“That’s not it,” at first, her voice returns to its lightened state, but something within tells Emily that her next proclamation is going to be thicker, deeper, and more enticing ━ which is soon proven to be correct when her girlfriend continues. 

“Trust me, I love being able to pin you down and take advantage of you lying below me,” the blonde kisses her with captivation, Emily’s eyes fluttering shut for a moment, “but the thought of you being above me is something I  _ really  _ don’t think I’d be able to turn away from.”

With another lingering kiss, Alison knows she’s getting to Emily, judging by the look on her face when she backs up to see brown eyes softly shut with her lips just barely puckered in a manner that asks for more. It’s not enough to break the brunette’s resolve, however, so Alison glances down at her own position, still straddling the girl below her, and noticeably moves her hips without putting too much pressure on herself; her motions aren’t for self-pleasure, but for a sense of torture against her girlfriend, pulling out all the stops to change her mind when it comes to this gentleness that’s becoming more of an obstacle than anything ━ not to say it’s entirely bad. It’s fun using it against Emily, and the blonde smirks as she sees her lover’s throat shift from clenching her jaw once she detects the movement against her torso.

Emily’s eyes focus to lock with hers, Alison keeping her head tilted to the side in a playfully menacing, provoking way that seduces her into changing their pace with a little switch of their positions. She’s only stared at, much to her displeasure, and bites her lower lip for a split second before moving closer to the girl’s face like seconds ago, Emily’s breath hitching in her throat with a certain audibility.

“You know you want to do it,” despite Alison’s knowledge of her hesitancy, she can also see obvious longing strewn throughout the girl’s eyes, like when they drift downward to catch a glimpse of how their bodies are pressed together, and what her being on top could entail, if she took the chance.

Nevertheless, Emily doesn’t move, sealing her lips even though the bottom portion of her mouth quivers for a second. Alison catches it, but doesn’t mention anything, only continuing on with her spur-the-moment game. 

“I guess I can’t make you…” her attitude still holds its deviousness, “but I  _ can  _ try to change your mind.”

A sparkle of appeal flickers in Emily’s eyes, Alison wanting to giggle at the shade because, as far as she’s concerned, the only things missing from the reaction were blushing cheeks and an interested smile. 

She pushes the bit of fluff from her mind through the use of looking off to the side, finding Emily’s arm, and side-eying the girl with an ever-growing smirk on her face. Emily waits with a curiosity covering her features, Alison meanwhile wondering if she’s completely broken her girlfriend who hasn’t even tried to open her mouth to say something, in minutes, but she supposes that, if the brunette wasn’t stumped before, she will be soon.

With a smoothness to the way she brings Emily’s hand to her mouth, Alison smiles when a subtle appearance of realization stuns the other girl’s posture, her lips parting ever-so-minutely. The blonde tucks those few, useful fingers between her lips, faintly tasting herself on the girl’s skin while she’s watched with every swirl of her tongue. Alison touches her mouth to the side of her girlfriend’s hand next, followed by placing an open-mouthed kiss to her palm, and her wrist, before she’s leaning down to tend to Emily’s lips with the same fiery instinct.

She picks up on Emily feeling for the taste which coated her fingers, Alison not letting it happen so easily when she only grants her roughly a minute of heavy kissing before lips are trailing down to her neck again, biting her skin more than before with hisses escaping the crack of the brunette’s mouth. At the same time, Alison’s body inches to the side of her lover’s, leg draped between the girl’s thighs and tugging them open at a solid yet not forceful rate. She’s not sure if Emily noticed, either, since the brunette’s fists clench at the blanket below them when teeth tug on a particular section of her neck before it's soothed by an educated tongue. 

What does get Emily’s attention, on the other hand, is when Alison’s fingertips randomly begin to drag across her lower stomach, just above her pantyline. They move in patterns, swirls, zigzags, and waves, her fingers putting more or less pressure in certain areas as if she’s trying to map out where Emily’s weakest points reside, and the brunette’s suffering spikes with her fists constantly bunching up the sheets underneath her with her head tilted back into the pillow and a mouth working against her throat until it’s moving lower.

Bruised lips circle her nipple, kissing along smooth skin until she’s using her teeth like prior. A pushed-down moan accidentally slips, Alison taking the untamed compliment with a grin that fades when she slides over to the other side of Emily’s chest to use the same rhythm as before. The brunette keeps up with a stubborn charade, trying to make it seem like this isn’t bothering her as much as Alison  _ knows  _ it is. That has to change.

A wavering breath is taken, elongated and sounding like a gasp, when Alison pulls her girlfriend’s underwear down an inch, moving her fingers lower and across the very start of her thighs, the abrupt tickling causing Emily to shift and close her legs every now and then ━ until they’re opened further by torturous hands.

“Ali, come on,” Emily finally gets out, though it’s barely managed, and her voice is strained with breaths.

“What?” a tiny laugh comes with the short question. “It’s your fault.”

She groans, legs quivering when Alison moves near a sensitive area.

“If you’re so frustrated, do something about it,” her playfulness loses its fire, sounding encouraging and inviting like it’s the girl’s last chance to stop the constant, alluring pain. 

“I━I can’t.”

Her stammered dismissal makes Alison shift her jaw, nodding once to herself in acceptance before regaining her determination, giving Emily a final look-over, and sinking downward with a newfound idea. 

The girl against the mattress feels Alison shifting, sliding to the bottom of the mattress, and flat-out refuses to look while trying to focus on the ceiling above them ━ not to say that plan lasts very long once lips are pressed to the line of skin just above where her panties now lie. 

Alison hears her take a deep breath, loving the sound of Emily knowing she’s done-for. She peppers the area in small kisses, taking her time and reveling in the reactions that she’s given, turning those mini-embraces into lengthy, open-mouthed gifts to the same area, extending from the brunette’s hipbone and down to just inches above where she’s wanted. 

Each time her mouth moves closer to the warmth of the girl’s center, Emily lets out the hollow, tail-end of a moan, the strained sounds making Alison want to test the waters even further by tasting her girlfriend for the first time; every, desire-filled noise captures the blonde, her curiosity piquing in a way that makes her interested in hearing how her girlfriend would react if she sunk lower — especially when she catches her lover’s hips rolling ever-so-slightly as if they’re trying to create friction with the air.

She bites her inner cheek at the thought, glancing up to see Emily’s head tilted back into the pillow with her fists still having a death-grip on the sheets, and, soon after, the small pang of conflict is erased from her features, being replaced by her signature smirk. Her shoulders nudge further, pushing the girl’s thighs apart a fraction more, and her fingers carefully move the black-colored fabric to the side, all while leaning forward and pressing a new, slow kiss to Emily’s center.

The sound of nails scratching the blankets is automatically heard, giving Alison the go-ahead to continue with the tip of her tongue flicking at the area, fingers only lingering on Emily’s lower stomach. She wants to go deeper, enjoying the taste of her girlfriend and suddenly forgetting about the way she’s been batting the brunette back and forth like a mouse, causing her to back up, curl her fingers around the thin pair of underwear, and shed Emily of the distracting garment. 

Her tongue is back in its designated spot right after, Alison’s nails scratching at Emily’s outer thighs while her mouth is put to work with a newness to the situation, but also quick knowledge. She notes what makes Emily tick, and how her body twitches at certain times with specific speeds, rhythms, and tactics, and fingers tangle in her hair once she gets used to the pace. She hears her name chanted once, twice, three times, though two of three weren’t able to fully come out and, instead, were replaced by the faded-off version of a few curse words thrown together. Alison takes it with graciousness, wanting to smile against where she drags her tongue upward until it’s hitting the girl’s clit and swirling around it. 

The fingers in her hair tighten once she’s rubbing the area with pressure, creating a new kind of friction that makes Emily’s lower back arch off the mattress before pressing down again, and Alison notices that she’s close to hitting the start of her climax. 

She pushes forward, sucking, kissing, and overall tending to Emily’s center with confidence, and the sound of her lover unraveling is something she looks forward to becoming familiar with again and again; her face is pulled closer, thighs tighten around her head, and a deep moan comes from the brunette who doesn’t dare try to muffle it.

Alison kisses her inner thighs, her speed more considerate as she hears Emily trying to catch her breath, and she crawls up her girlfriend’s body with her fingers falling back between legs that try to close. Emily whines when Alison toys with her pulsating center, the blonde’s deviousness from before remaining steady even though it’s clear that she’s trying to allow some space after the recent orgasm.

“Would you stop playing around?” it comes out through a laugh, but Alison can tell that Emily just wants to break down, her legs constantly clenching in a way that expresses they’re going to give out.

“Make me,” Alison breathes into her ear, and Emily’s lips press together with an internal debate sparking in her mind.

She waits, breathing deeply, and keeps on a stone-like mask that Alison wishes her gaze could penetrate. The fingers between the brunette’s thighs don’t stop dragging, in the meantime, and Alison wonders if Emily is actually a lot better at holding herself together than she initially assumed, but all thinking is cut off when their positions are flipped before either of them can blink.

Emily’s breathing continues to level, now looking down at Alison with her body hovering above the blonde’s but not lying on top of it, their hands pinned above the pillows. The remnants of hesitancy are erased completely, much to Emily’s discontent, when Alison wraps her ankles around her girlfriend and pulls her down so they’re pressed against each other. It gets a grunt, Emily going to say something even though nothing comes out.

“There,” a whisper comes from Alison’s mouth. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

The brunette’s legs shift, face obviously conflicted with her teeth biting for her inner cheek, and Alison sees her reserved demeanor.

“Are you okay?” her softness still comes with matched playfulness. “Should _ I  _ be more gentle with  _ you _ ?”

At the question, Emily looks nervous and a sudden appearance of guilt pops up, the brunette feeling like she’s offended Alison by straightforwardly refusing to be open about what’s going on. It’s not like she doesn’t want to be fully intimate during sex, or even just making out, and her worries are bound to sound silly, but she’s afraid that she’ll somehow do something wrong in relevance to Alison’s pregnancy; despite how early on this is happening, Emily realizes that there’s still room for error during  _ any  _ moment, and perhaps it’s just come to the forefront whilst they’re in bed. Emily makes a face, eyes looking away from Alison.

“Em, I’m only teasing you,” now, her silliness evaporates, trying to comfort the girl while hoping she didn’t ruin things.

“I know,” is the only thing she can come up with, pursing her lips and evading eye contact.

“But you’re still worried,” it’s more so assuming, and Emily only hesitates for a lone second, eventually giving the girl eyes that confirm it. 

Alison nods, mostly to herself, and tilts her head to the side in a way that opposes how she did it before, being just as exposed as the girl on top of her.

“Look, I’m not going to force you into doing anything,” she starts. “Whenever I go too far, tell me. I’m just trying to get you to enjoy yourself,” her plea comes with a tiny smile, fading within seconds as her fingers walk up Emily’s arm in a self-distracting manner, “ _ because, _ if you’re not enjoying yourself, that means I’m not doing it right.”

“Trust me, you don’t have an issue with that,” Emily comments after a short, breathy laugh, her tone reminiscent with wide eyes. 

Alison mirrors her laugh, leaning upward with a fresh batch of seduction, muttering, “Noted,” against her lips.

They kiss briefly, Emily tasting herself on Alison’s tongue and sighing into the short-lasting lip-lock. When she backs up, blue eyes open, gradually focusing to see her girlfriend wanting to be upfront about what’s been on her mind.

“I don’t mean to be so uptight, I swear,” with a sigh, Emily confesses, her eyes drifting off to the side in a form of thought.

“I know why you’re being so careful,” Alison shows her a half-grin, “but you won’t hurt me, I promise. I’m not as fragile as you think, as of now, and, even months into the future, I  _ still  _ won’t be that delicate.”

Emily nods, accepting the comfort and pushing the thought deeper into her head until it’s retained.

“If you ever  _ do  _ hurt me, at any point, whether it’s in bed or otherwise, I’ll say something,” the blonde continues, cupping her girlfriend’s cheek, “but you’re not going to. I promise.”

They lock eyes, Emily trying to find a trace of doubt or deception within, but all she finds is reassurance and encouragement ━ not to mention the coziness that always resides within the blue color, matching what she feels as their skin is pressed together in this new, inviting position that, admittedly, she could get used to.

“Do you really promise?”

A childish smile grows on Alison’s face at the question, Emily furrowing her eyebrows when she feels the blonde shifting beneath her, but all wonders are answered when her girlfriend presents her pinky so they can lock together. Emily matches the beaming smile, also shaking her head and taking the pinky promise with conviction and a firm grasp. A kiss, following the agreement, seals the deal completely, and Alison wants to melt into it as she’s trapped between Emily and the mattress for the first time, also sensing a content sigh bubble in her throat.

Her mild, calm enjoyment is put to a stop almost instantly, realistically, when Emily breaks their growing kiss with a fresh deviousness to her features, practically extracting the power from Alison and covering herself in it. Alison questions her with squinted eyes and a “what are you up to?” grin of her own, waiting for some hint at what her girlfriend is thinking.

“At least I can use this position more to my advantage,” Emily teases with a sultry whisper, Alison looking interested in the implication with her eyebrows raising until she’s licking her lips at the brunette’s next decision, just as their face-to-face level is lost with the girl crawling downward.

“ _ And _ maybe I can pay you back a little.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Normally I don't have much to say about chapters with sexual situations in them, mostly because they're usually straight to the point and there's not a lot to discuss (which is often a fun reprieve), but I found this encounter to be important, so bear with my ramblings.
> 
> First and foremost, their relationship is changing, and Emily's insecurities are coming out. They're not self-directed, no, but they're insecurities regarding Alison because of how careful she knows she's being. To us, it sounds silly, primarily because Emily was almost afraid to do, like... anything when they were in bed, just out of nervousness due to Alison's pregnancy, but there's a major positive aspect in that: in a way, this is her acknowledging their situation, and it's a new form of intimacy. Emily unintentionally came face to face with information they already knew but tried to ignore for the sake of a "normal" relationship, and, after this, they're going to learn to stop handling it with kid gloves (no pun intended).
> 
> Also, my apologies if I dragged on the smut (although some people believe that no smut is too much smut, and I'm done using that word now), but I needed to highlight some conflicts that occasionally only come out when people are completely exposed ━ both physically and emotionally. These two are being so genuine with each other in bed, and they're supporting each other, so, yeah, naturally Emily feels conflicted because she has this confusion in her head about how to treat Alison since 1) she's repeatedly claimed that she wants this relationship to be about them ━ A.K.A. two twenty-three year olds with normal feelings and sex drives ━ instead of this pregnancy, but 2) this does, in a way, involve Alison's pregnancy; she can't just pretend it doesn't exist, however Emily still doesn't want her to think this is a contributing factor in how she feels about them. Sound complicated? Well, don't worry, it's not a bad thing.
> 
> Alison, on the other hand, handled Emily with care throughout this chapter, which is somewhat ironic to think about since, like I explained above, Emily was trying to take care of Alison. I feel they mesh well together, especially because of how they're able to understand what the other is thinking no matter where they are/what they're doing.
> 
> Now, I'm going to tell you upfront: This sex scene is meant to be an introduction to how they're going to act moving forward because now they will acknowledge that this isn't a normal relationship, and it's going to be okay. The first ten chapters of this fic were about them, as the central focus ━ just as two people falling for each other. Moving on, we're going to be building a "new" relationship, and this one is going to be their (drum roll, please) family relationship.
> 
> Next time I see you, we'll witness their morning-after (I certainly wouldn't deprive you of that), and we'll have a nice CeCe/Emily conversation. Another one of my favorites.
> 
> Questions? Concerns? Comments? Love? Hate? Nothing?
> 
> While you fill my reviews with your feedback, and perhaps my Tumblr ask box ("capn-charlie"), I'll be getting the next few updates ready for you, and you'll be getting chapter eleven on Thursday, the latest.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it just me, or has this hiatus (you know, since I posted chapter ten) felt so much longer than usual?
> 
> I kept checking and rechecking my posting schedule because I felt like I've been hiding in a cave for weeks, but I guess time's just passing slowly ━ not to mention the fact that I've had my eyes glued to the TV whilst playing video games since I last posted. Don't worry, though; I finally got a good chunk of the epilogue written, and I'm on the brink of wrapping that chapter up so I can solely focus on revising, once and for all.
> 
> Other than that (and, even though you didn't ask for this, I'm going to share), I've been working on a Minecraft mural made up of at least 32,000 blocks, and I'm also still getting ready for the holidays. For school, I'm almost finished; I'm pretty sure I only have ~4 class meetups left. THEN! This guy (me, I'm gesturing to myself) only has one more semester left until graduation. Who's bringing the cupcakes?
> 
> What about y'all? What's new? I feel guilty for not communicating with you guys as much as I used to, but I'm always open to hearing about what you're up to, what you're feeling, etc. My inbox is always open, and so is my Tumblr inbox ("capn-charlie").
> 
> Alrighty, I think that's it for now. I'll meet you at the bottom of this chapter after we finish a content morning-after and whatever follows. You'll see, obviously.

Emily sits adjacent to Alison at the breakfast table, the brunette hiding her admirable grin whilst her girlfriend chews happily and scrolls through her phone using her pinky. 

It’s around eleven in the morning, light streaming through the blinds of the apartment like most days, and the atmosphere feels warm ━  _ new _ , even ━ like they’ve traveled into a fresh territory together after the night before. 

She knows she’s not the only one who feels it, too, judging by the way Alison traps her lip between her teeth whenever her cheeks begin to warm up after locking eyes for merely three seconds, and everything is…  _ different _ ━ matured, maybe. Even when they first woke up together, tangled in limbs and sheets, their smiles were radiant ━ albeit tired ━ with a fresh sense of “this is where I want to be.” They didn’t get out of bed easily, simply enjoying themselves with the usually gross, dry sweat and messy hair, cuddling up further and falling in and out of sleep. 

Alison, during that time, looked to the ceiling for a few seconds, thanking every power in the universe that she didn’t wake up sick, before Emily kissed her neck and nudged her way into the girl’s arms, resembling the way they fell asleep together with the brunette cuddled up to her girlfriend. 

Once they did slip out of bed, however, Emily made it a point to whip up a nice breakfast for the blonde, despite Alison’s many, colorful yet desperate (also weak) pleas against the idea.

_ “Em, no, you’re technically still my guest,” _ she’d protest, a dopey grin opposing her words threatening to break her argument from the get-go. 

The other girl smiled, shook her head, and hummed,  _ “You can’t hold that against me forever,”  _ only to watch Alison quirk an eyebrow with her last-ditch attempt at keeping the brunette from taking care of her within the confines of her own apartment.

_ “I can hold anything I want against you.” _

It didn’t work, being instructed to sit down and relax. Alison rolled her eyes at the command, though she internally felt grateful for the impeccable care, no matter if she asked for it, or not.

During the time Emily took to make the girl a solid breakfast of a two-egg, protein-loaded omelet with a side of orange juice that was really a last-minute addition, her thoughts and imagination consumed her, consistently (yet against her own willpower) falling back on last night’s events with a longing, desolate smile and sparkling eyes.

After she grew into the comfortableness drummed up by Alison following their miniature vent-session in bed, Emily did her best making the girl feel everything she could possibly muster, slinking down her body with fiery kisses, bites, and hums against tender skin whenever the blonde’s fingers tangled in her hair.

_ “We should’ve been doing this for weeks,” Alison’s breathy, open-mouthed yet even-toned claim floats down to where Emily resides, her cheek resting against the blonde’s inner thigh while her thumb slowly and tactfully runs through the girl’s folds. _

_ “Feel nice?” it comes with a small laugh, glancing up to see how blissful and content her girlfriend appears, one hand dragging across her own chest while the other continuously plays with Emily’s hair.  _

_ “Mhm,” the lone hum is all she can manage when deliberate kisses are strewn along her inner thigh, warm and damp as they travel higher and higher. _

_ Although she knows what’s coming, Alison barely has time to suck in a deep breath before Emily leans forward, and━ _

_ “Fuck.” _

“Where does your mind keep drifting off to?” the blonde tilts her head with narrowed eyes, having caught her lover’s yearning expression from the way Emily stared out the window, eyes unblinking like they had when she exposed her thoughts thirty minutes ago.

Emily clears her throat, scratching the back of her head as if to make it seem like nothing was happening even though she’s fully aware that Alison knows she caught her red-handed.

“By the way,” Alison puts her fork down, happily finished with her breakfast, “why are you so informed when it comes to appropriate, pregnancy foods?”

Brown eyes stare at her, the girl continuing, “I’m asking because you looked like you were searching for specific things in the fridge. Like you knew what would be decent.”

“It’s just an omelet,” her rebuttal is paired with a deflecting grin, playing a game that Alison only glares at her for. “ _ Okay _ , I’m not necessarily ‘informed,’ especially when it comes to pregnancies, but I researched a lot when I was getting ready to donate,” she confesses.

Alison relaxes, listening to Emily who rubs her lips together in a way that signals she’s still thinking.

“I guess I just remembered how off I felt when I was taking the hormones, and how I wanted something that tasted good without having this heavy breakfast,” the brunette recalls, squinting one eye in further remembrance. “There was only one time I wanted something bigger, and I felt disgusting afterwards even though it tasted great. I needed a happy medium.”

She looks at Alison, finishing, “I know it’s probably not all the same, but it’s something.”

Something in the blonde’s chest feels a tug ━ she supposes that cliché romance novels would call it a heartstring ━ and smiles at the explanation, trying her best to ease Emily’s out-of-nowhere worries about overstepping by applying her experience to this one. She’s thankful for it, in all honesty, and the way Emily is now pushing herself to be more open in regards to the situation; although mentioning her egg-donation is something small, and possibly not even looked-at in terms of hinting at anything bigger, Alison senses a new vibe around their conversations, like neither of them are afraid of coming to terms with the obvious, but only scared of what it could mean for them ━ and, even then, maybe it’s still not able to be labeled as some type of fear. Timewise, they’re still in the beginning stage of their relationship, but it feels beyond that, and Alison finds herself looking at what they are in a domestic, family-esque light.

“I meant what I said last night,” Alison’s smile is radiant, making sure Emily knows she’s being genuine. “All of it, but… mostly when I thanked you for caring about me so much.”

The grin she receives is a silent thank-you, of sorts, Emily’s throat tightening up because there’s so much she wants to say, but nothing comes out. Like Alison, she’s still learning how to walk the line of what’s too straightforward and what they’re able to say, but, hell, all she wants to do is proclaim that she’ll always be taking care of both her and the baby ━ and not because she looks at the child as her own. This child may share her genetics, which she now thinks about freely, but the bond that Alison verbally expressed wishes for is tighter than Emily believes the girl understands; in her mind, this baby is also part of the blonde she’s come to know and…  _ love _ . 

And she knows it’s love, despite any deterring thought of “it’s too soon” or “you’re jumping the gun.”

Emily takes a breath, changing the subject with a dorky “I can pick up some snacks later, if you’d like. Since, you know, your fridge is a barren wasteland.”

“Hey!” her defensive laugh comes through. “I had the ingredients you needed.”

“But you have nothing else,” Emily argues.

“That’s a stretch.”

“You have no berries,” with the tapping of her finger, Emily lists, “you have no yogurt, your vegetables are running low, the orange juice is gone, I used up your eggs━”

“I could make a seriously funny and ironic pun right now,” Alison gains a smug grin hidden in her features, biting the tip of her tongue and raising her eyebrows at Emily who stops in her tracks, mouth falling open with nothing but a curt laugh coming out when she turns away.

Looking back at Alison, the blonde still swears a triumphant smirk from when she was ignored, causing Emily to offer the rebuttal, “Why didn’t you take the opportunity, then?” with a transferring, devious smile once her girlfriend deadpans and shifts her jaw due to the competitiveness.

They both feel uneasy ━ lacking the negativity of the term ━ with a certain awkwardness floating around them, the shift in atmosphere caused by realization of what they just joked about and, really, the fact that it covers up what they truly want to discuss. 

Neither one of them are going to make a move here and now, however, and they collectively realize that, Alison’s eyes drifting to the table in a mild solemness that Emily picks up on once the blonde’s chin tilts downward with her posture almost deflating.

“Is something on your mind?”

Formerly, Alison hadn’t realized how bummed out she portrayed on her exterior, wanting to face-palm herself because, now, Emily’s eyes are on her with the question rattling around the room. She wants to be honest and let her thoughts roam free, begging to voice her opinion on how she wants their relationship to grow in terms of handling her pregnancy and, when the time comes, the baby; Emily plays a huge role in this, and, despite her previous claims of not wanting the brunette to stick around on this child’s behalf, she wants the girl to realize that she’s become such a vital component to everything about how she’s looking at her pregnancy. Alison also finds herself wanting to use grouped terms such as “our” when thinking about or discussing the baby, and, admittedly, that’s conflicting when she doesn’t know how Emily is viewing everything.

Her teeth worry at her lip, Emily growing more concerned by the silent second, and Alison’s thoughts are finally broken when the brunette gets out a soft, nervous “Ali, are you okay?”

Blue eyes snap upward, Alison forcing a reassuring smile onto her face, “Yeah, sorry.”

Emily seems to relax, her question still standing, however.

“I’m just a little stressed, I guess,” her admission is honest, though it’s not what she was thinking about just seconds ago. “I’ve recently realized that I should start looking for a new place before I get closer to my due date, even if I’m only six weeks along right now,” she looks around, assessing the room. “I doubt this apartment’s big enough to raise a child in, and it was really only a temporary solution following the fiasco with Elliott.” 

The other girl nods, chewing her inner cheek while her gaze follows suit and roams the room ━ though her action is more so done in a manner signifying that she wants to say something without having the actual courage to do so.

“I’m nervous, though,” Alison bows her head, playing with her fingers in her lap. “It’s hard thinking about moving when I know I’ll be in a bigger place all by myself. Eventually with the baby, yeah, but… I don’t want to go crazy,” she gives Emily a sad, obviously unnerved laugh that lasts a lone second, clearly covering up her true feelings.

“I’m still here,” after a silent debate, the blonde’s worried features give Emily the necessary shove to voice her thoughts. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“I know,” she whispers when looking up, locking eyes with Emily who, on contact, feels her heart beating faster with intent to be genuine about what’s stored inside.

“I don’t want to invite myself into your life more permanently,” Emily starts, voice low with her features cautious yet a tad hopeful, “but, if you ever need someone to stick around…”

Her straightforwardness surprises Alison in the best way, the corners of the blonde’s mouth turning upward into a comforting, accepting smile while she matches the girl’s tone when settling on asking, “Like a roommate?”

“Yeah,” they know it’s not the most ideal title, but, for now, it’s a start to testing the waters. 

It’s not necessarily answered, the two staring at one another like they’re reading each other, similar to the first day they sat down in Emily’s apartment with little to no knowledge about the “former stranger” they were situated next to. It’s thrilling to look back on how they used to be, aspects from the past coming up in the present with a familiar taste to them, and it brings about a sense of nostalgia. 

Alison remembers the event like it was just yesterday, recalling her eyes roaming about the walls even though her heart threatened to beat through her chest because she was so nervous about having her first, real conversation with Emily outside of the pharmacy ━ or above it, if you want to get technical. The whole time, she was drawn to the brunette ━ much like she still is ━ and the feeling was only mutual whenever she caught a glimpse into those brown eyes. She thinks back to their former awkwardness, still lacking the “menacing” vibe, and how they quickly gained a connection over such simple things like sharing past stories and, yeah, the one piece of information that brought about a new flavor to what they’d become: Alison’s pregnancy.

Emily never changed the way she looked at the blonde, though, and that’s what kept Alison from escaping her own feelings; had the brunette shown any type of hesitation in terms of getting to know her, Alison probably wouldn’t have opened herself up again following that first day at the girl’s apartment. Even with the few dates they went on, everything remained simple, despite the periodic information that Emily discovered each time they hung out and/or vented.

Throughout their time together, Emily has remained genuine, even when Alison expected her to change the way she spoke and/or acted after that card was discovered and flashed between them like two teenagers who  _ accidentally  _ created a new human. That could’ve been the first and final straw that pushed them apart, and Emily could’ve forced her way into Alison’s life for the sake of getting to know the baby that, yes, is technically hers, but she stayed patient, understanding, and accepting of whatever the blonde threw at her ━ after she was practically ignored for nearly a day.

They’ve built a relationship on their own terms ━ not due to the circumstances surrounding who they are, or what’s going on around them ━ and that’s what makes Alison  _ want  _ to look at the bigger picture, or what they can be, in the long run: a family, maybe.

Hopefully.

The real question, now, is… does  _ Emily  _ want that?

Alison seals her lips, eyes flickering to Emily who similarly looks lost in her own, inner dilemmas. Her heart continues to race, words on the tip of her tongue, and her mouth opens a few times before shutting again. She knows this is the best time to ask, however, especially because Emily recently, in a way, opened herself up to be rejected with the offer of staying with her in a new house, so, within seconds, a subtle yet deep breath is taken.

“I’ve been thinking…” Alison starts, getting Emily’s attention and, initially, hesitating with her eyes drifting off to the side of the room.

The other girl waits, not wanting to interrupt.

“It’s not until the beginning of November, but…” her voice falls into a whisper until it’s gone, having to recollect herself before continuing, “I was wondering if you’d like to come to my next ultrasound.”

She can hardly look at Emily while asking, nerves consuming her body as she sometimes feels her hands shake in her lap. Emily, nearby, feels stunned by the offer ━ not to say she reacts as such ━ even though a smile crosses her lips.

“No pressure,” the blonde backtracks when she doesn’t get an answer right away. “I just figured I’d ask.”

“Do you want me there?” is the first thing Emily responds, double-checking and keeping hopefulness out of her words, for the time being. “I won’t be upset if you say no, Ali. Even though you asked, I just want to make sure this is equal,” the blonde detects a trace of happiness in the way her girlfriend presents herself as she speaks. 

Emily finishes, “You don’t want me feeling obligated, and I don’t want you feeling that way, either.”

Once again, her caring nature doesn’t falter, and Alison feels her own cheeks turning upward while smiling hard, “I’d really like it if you’d come with me.”

Her expression is matched instantly.

“Then, I’ll come.”

Now, Alison feels the need to make sure they’re on the same page, muttering, “Do you want to?” with obvious timidity, voice small and childish.

The only reaction she gets is another smile, Emily’s head bowing without being able to stop the moonstruck response from taking over her entire demeanor, eventually peering up at Alison like before and nodding her head with a clear attitude of conviction and decisiveness.

Alison can see the love in her eyes without a doubt in the world, desperately clawing her way to match it while kicking her nerves in the ass with a sense of fulfillment. 

To solidify the moment with a sweet, bonded gesture, the blonde gives her girlfriend a cheeky grin while reaching across the table, Emily doing the same so they can hold hands over the top of the surface with an overwhelming amount of fluffiness between them. She feels a thumb rub over her knuckles, biting her lower lip when she looks into brown eyes again, and neither of them can shoot down the butterflies in their stomachs ━ nor do they want to.

  
  


X X X

  
  


Her hands anxiously tap against the material of her steering wheel, eyes frantic as they zone in on the red light hanging almost above the hood of her car. She grits her teeth partly, but not by much, and her limbs feel heavy as she waits for the go-ahead signal.

Truly, internally, she scolds herself for being so nervous and panicky, but it’s not like it’s for no reason. In fact, her excuse is valid, a direct outcome of receiving a not-so-pleasant message from CeCe on Alison’s phone just eight minutes ago:

_ “Hi, Emily. It’s CeCe. Ali said not to worry, but I wanted to text you anyway because I had to take her to the doctor. Everything checked out fine, but they gave her some medicine for what looks like a cold. Idk. The doctor didn’t say much, but I’m bringing her home in a few and she’s pretty out of it.” _

At first, as she stood across from her father at today’s round of practice, she worried that she had opened the text much later than receiving it, but felt a small wave of relief come over her once catching the message’s timestamp displaying that it only reached her phone two minutes prior. The short bit of relaxation didn’t last long, however, Emily’s mouth falling into an immediate, concerned frown with her eyebrows furrowed deeply, automatically typing back whilst ignoring everything that was happening on the field.

**_E_ ** _ ━ “Can you stay with her until I get back? I can be there in twenty minutes.” _

**_A_ ** _ ━ “Definitely.” _

**_E_ ** _ ━ “Thanks for letting me know.” _

She didn’t waste time, running over to her father with her body language evidently worried even though her mouth hung open and eyes evaded his once they were face to face because she didn’t want to come off  _ that  _ shaky. After all, her prime reason for being so struck had to do with the fact that there’s a baby involved and the “cold” came on so suddenly after her girlfriend woke up overall pleasant-feeling, but it’s not like her parents are aware of Alison’s pregnancy. Plus, CeCe’s texts sounded the least bit urgent, so her spike in nervousness could be deemed irrational and “blown out of proportion” since, really, the doctor claimed it’s a cold. Emily swallowed hard at the thought, trying to keep herself from thinking the worst, but━

_ “Are you alright?” Mr. Fields moves in front of her line of sight, concern covering his features in an automatic, parental instinct. _

_ Emily raises her eyes to his, putting on her best, reassuring yet forced smile. _

_ “Yeah, I’m, uh… fine, but something happened with Alison, and I need to leave early,” she tries, pushing her voice to sound solid, adamant.  _

_ “Hold on, is everything okay?” his nervousness only seems to deepen, Emily wanting to kick herself for spreading the negative emotion around like a virus. _

_ On the other hand, it’s a tad endearing, mostly because she can tell that her parents have already accepted Alison into the family after such a short visit and a couple phone calls with them asking how the blonde is doing, clearly teasing, each time. Quite frankly, they’re already aware of how much Alison means to Emily, sometimes her father’s knowing tone getting a bit much to handle when the brunette tries to ignore how deeply she feels for someone after being “content” and “living life” for so long. Like always, she wants to roll her eyes, but instead takes a breath and puts a newer, easy grin on her face. _

_ “She’s fine, I promise,” Emily comforts without knowing if she’s trying to ease his thoughts or her own, sighing and looking down at her feet. “It’s just important that I leave now.” _

He brushed her off with a serious  _ “Keep me updated,”  _ getting a final smile from Emily who swiftly turned around and all but jogged to her car, sliding into the seat with questions and conflicts swirling within her mind.

Since her short drive back to the girl’s apartment started, she’s been flashing back to this morning and how normal Alison seemed, for the most part. After breakfast, they had relaxed together on the couch with silly conversations thrown back and forth, cuddled, and enjoyed the day. That lead up to a mild spurt of discomfort on Alison’s side of things, confessing that she felt “gross” around two-thirty or three o’clock. Her tiredness took over rather quickly, asking to rest together for a bit before Emily had to leave for practice, hours later.

Emily, being the caretaker she is, went on alert immediately with wonders if Alison wanted her to head to the pharmacy to buy anything, constantly ignoring the girl’s requests to cuddle up in order to continue pestering about how she’s feeling and what she needs. She even asked if she should call the doctor, at one point, to which Alison chuckled,  _ “No, it’s not that bad.” _

The bit of comedy eased the brunette’s growing timidity about the subject, finally lying down together for a while until Emily, against her own will, decided that she should shower before heading to practice.

_ “May I join?” _ Alison asked, only having to voice her request once before being smiled and nodded at.

Their shower together provided a much-needed warmth, primarily for Alison, and the time spent in a cloud of steam helped massage the tenderness of their skin. Emily noticed her girlfriend falling silent more and more often, however, but didn’t voice her worries for the sake of being too overbearing, so soon.

That didn’t stop her from double-checking on Alison before leaving for work, on the other hand, and she was only reassured once again.

_ “Ali, are you sure you’ll be okay?” she stands in the doorway, arms lingering at her sides because she doesn’t want to seem defensive, but also still doesn’t know if she’s acting too out-of-whack. _

_ “Yes, Em, don’t worry,” her girlfriend provides constant comfort, tilting her head to the side and sighing. “It’s probably just my nausea making a surprise appearance. It won’t be this bad after a few more months,” as she speaks, her eyebrows raise, almost like she’s trying to get the information through her own skull. _

_ “Call or text me if you need anything,” Emily settles on saying, leaning forward and asking for a kiss. _

_ “I will,” it’s granted with the short confirmation, Alison pecking her on the mouth once, twice, three times before letting Emily (begrudgingly) leave. _

Again, Emily’s annoyance with herself grows, not wanting to be this dramatic but also not being able to help it. She shouldn’t have left when Alison was clearly not feeling well, and she should’ve been the one to take the blonde to the doctor instead of her friend. It’s the unknown that bothers her so much, especially since, like she’s been stressing over all this time, there’s a baby involved; even if it’s a simple cold, it’s still a scary situation when the child is more susceptible to things than a full-grown adult. She knows she shouldn’t be this worried until she sees Alison, however, hoping the girl (or even her friend) received some helpful information from the doctor ━ aside from the simple diagnosis of it being a cold.

As soon as her car is parked against the curb of Alison’s apartment complex, she’s exiting the vehicle with the door making a hollow, slamming noise behind her body, breathing evenly while stuffing her phone into her back pocket while ascending the single flight of stairs.

She’s walking down the hallway in no time, wishing she had a way of getting into the apartment without knocking because, for all she knows, Alison is resting just a room away from the door. Nevertheless, she taps two knuckles against the wooden barrier, hearing shuffling on the other side before CeCe comes into view. No greetings are exchanged, Emily wanting to immediately hear what else the doctor had to say within the short bundle of seconds it takes her to pass over the threshold and stand by the door with one of Alison’s best friends, but CeCe beats her by speaking first.

“Did you leave work to get here?” her voice is a whisper, eyes partly narrowed as Emily focuses her attention on the girl even though she wants to peek around the corner to see if Alison is in her room.

“It’s no big deal,” she doesn’t directly confirm it, otherwise being honest. “She’s more important, and my dad understands.”

The claim makes CeCe want to smile, but the brunette’s outright urge to care for her best friend somewhat stuns her since she had only heard minor details of their relationship. Certainly, it’s become far greater than it was just weeks ago when Alison made that huge confession in the bar to both her and Aria, and it seems that Emily’s involvement runs deep ━ something she wishes she could express in gratitude, but, instead, nods in agreement.

“How is she?” Emily doesn’t hear any rustling from within Alison’s room, realizing that she’s probably resting (hopefully) comfortably. 

“She’s basically sleeping,” her theory is confirmed, CeCe sighing. “I got a call a little while ago, and she sounded out of it, like… she sounded  _ off _ ,” she recalls, a wavering in her voice that makes it seem like she’s covering up her own concern. 

After a breath, she continues, “So, I drove here to make sure she was okay, and she looked pale and clammy. I would’ve texted you sooner, but she told me not to bother you because it was ‘the nausea.’”

Emily halfheartedly rolls her eyes, a tiny smile tugging at her lips, “Yeah, I heard that earlier.”

“I figured,” CeCe somewhat laughs, crossing her arms as they stand by the door with hushed tones. “Anyway, the clinic takes walk-in patients, so I took her there instead of the E.R. because we would’ve been there for hours, just to get a diagnosis that she only caught a cold. Which we really got, anyway,” she rubs her eye socket before slapping her hand back into place.

“Do  _ you  _ think it’s a cold?” she asks the question based off CeCe’s judgmental tone of the doctor’s words, not knowing if she’s the only one who’s worried for nothing.

“Yeah, it probably is,” the admission makes Emily nod. “I only panicked because of the whole, baby thing, you know?”

CeCe looks directly at the other girl as she says it, Emily seeing something in her eyes that explains how much she knows, wanting the brunette to understand that she’s open to discussing things, if she’d like. 

Emily notes this, sealing her lips and looking down.

“I know,” she agrees, voice falling below a whisper. “I thought of that, too.”

“But they’re both going to be fine,” the blonde’s reassurance is immediate, Emily not accepting it without a mild struggle.

“They only looked at Ali, right?” her questions continue to dig for answers. “They didn’t perform an ultrasound?”

“No, she’s going soon enough, so they said to hold off unless she starts feeling worse, even with the medication.”

“Okay,” Emily nods with her eyes scanning the room, body language stiff and anxious.

The girl standing next to her continues to study how she acts, like she’s stuck in a mixture of worry and her own thoughts about whatever else. It makes her look away, the two standing awkwardly as CeCe flashes back to her car ride with an uncomfortable Alison, the sluggish blonde trying to keep herself awake.

_ “Emily stayed over last night,” Alison absentmindedly confesses, chin tilted toward the ceiling of the car as she takes in a deep breath and shifts in the passenger’s seat.  _

_ “I can tell,” her friend smirks. “You have that look.” _

_ “Shut up,” the girl lightheartedly disagrees with a grump, making a pained face while moving again and, after that, seemingly feeling more comfortable when she stops fidgeting.  _

_ “If you didn’t want me to notice, you wouldn’t be daydreaming about her while in my car.” _

_ Alison turns her head to give CeCe a look, the taller blonde’s smirk remaining constant while staring through the windshield.  _

_ “How’s your relationship going?” CeCe makes the topic broader. “You know, considering your hesitation before,” her eyes briefly flicker toward Alison, the girl’s smile being unstoppable even though she’s not feeling well. _

_ “Things have been great. We’re…  _ together _ ,” Alison admits. “Our relationship is solid, and…” the thought trails off until it’s unheard, the girl bowing her head while biting her inner cheek. _

_ “And…?” _

_ No response. _

_ “What’s on your mind, kid?” _

_ After a round of deliberation within the walls of her brain, Alison decides to keep herself honest, hopefully to get some wisdom and/or upfront advice from her friend who usually has something solid for her to follow. _

_ “I love our relationship,” she starts. “I love how it’s playful, and uplifting. It keeps me grounded but feeling good, and she’s so,  _ so  _ patient.” _

_ “So, what’s wrong?” CeCe pries, glancing at her again. _

_ “Nothing’s wrong, per se, but sometimes I feel confused about it,” Alison swallows hard, eyes staring through the window. “Not because I’m unsure, but because I know this is like… a normal relationship where we’re dating. She’s my girlfriend, and she  _ knows  _ she’s my girlfriend, but we never really acknowledge that she’s the biological mother of this baby, and that’s… confusing.” _

_ CeCe begins to piece things together, understanding with pursed lips before asking, “Why?” because, as far as she’s concerned, she’s already aware of where Alison wants things to go, but she’s not sure the girl, herself, has realized it ━ or is ready to own up to it. _

_ Blue eyes only look in her direction at the short wonder, Alison appearing wary of coming clean. _

_ “Ali, I know what you’re trying to say, but I want to hear you actually say it,” they’re at a stoplight, CeCe taking the opportunity to lock eyes with Alison through raised eyebrows that tell her not to stray away from being genuine with herself. _

_ She takes a deep breath, drumming up some confidence before making her confession. _

_ “I’m okay with not acknowledging it, whether it’s just for now or even if we never do because, like I told you, I don’t want her to feel chained to me, by any means,” her words ramble slightly, Alison afterwards sealing her lips so nothing else unthought-of will escape. _

_ “But…” _

_ “But,” her mouth opens and closes, “I… wish we would. I wish we’d talk about it more, or at least not tiptoe around it.” _

_ CeCe smiles just barely, Alison continuing, “Last night, I could tell she was thinking about it. The way she acted, and took care of me. It was comforting. Like I mean something important to her.” _

_ Looking down, Alison hesitates, putting her arm across her stomach in a self-comforting manner while muttering, “Like  _ we _ mean something important to her.” _

_ She pauses and regains her former composure, finishing, “I think that’s why I invited her to my next ultrasound appointment,” while looking at CeCe through shy eyes. “I want her to know that she means just as much to both of us, and I trust her. I want her to be a part of this,” her arms slump, offering a weird grin. “Baby and all.” _

It made her feel proud, in all honesty, to see how far they’ve come in this amount of time. Their situation isn’t ideal ━ or maybe it is, in their minds ━ but they’re making it work, and it’s unfolding solidly with love and sincerity. Weeks ago, she knew Alison would make the decision to stay with Emily, especially because of the way the girl’s eyes would light up at the mention of the brunette, but she never figured it would become so deep on both sides. 

Emily’s matched infatuation is also evidence of that, the girl constantly looking like she wants to sneak into Alison’s bedroom to make sure she’s resting soundly. 

CeCe smiles, pushing the expression away from her features while deciding to break the forming silence near the doorway.

“She told me she asked you to go to her next ultrasound,” she informs out of nowhere, Emily turning to her with parted lips. “She was tired as hell when she said it, but… she seemed happy about her decision.”

The brunette can’t help but smile, arms crossed while looking down at her feet when she feels sheepish with the way her girlfriend’s best friend is looking at her, like she knows how love-drunk she is.

“And you seem just as happy with it,” CeCe’s tone turns accusing, squinting her eyes.

“I am,” nothing more is given, Emily feeling her insides shake.

“I bet it’ll feel nice to see the result of the process you went through,” her comment comes with a sense of walking on eggshells, wanting Emily to know, without a doubt, that she’s aware of the circumstances surrounding their relationship in case Alison hadn’t mentioned it.

There’s no escaping her words or cryptic looks now, Emily internally stresses, locking eyes with CeCe as the blonde’s gaze appears a little more knowing, and she nods with the newfound decision to expose herself to the girl.

“It sounds weird, but… I really couldn’t ask for someone better to carry a baby that’s a part of me,” inside, her throat tightens and stomach does backflips. “I’m always trying to stay away from mentioning it because I know what I signed up for when I gave those eggs away, but I guess they are a part of me, and, because of that, I think I’ll always care what happens to them. Or at least think about it.” 

CeCe nods, Emily keeping her eyes on the other side of the room while whispering, “I know Ali will keep that kid happy and healthy, and she already loves him or her to death.”

“Well, between you and me, I don’t think she’d hate it if you brought it up more often,” CeCe gives insight, not tearing her eyes away from Emily because she wants to get her point across. “I think she  _ wishes  _ you’d…  _ realize  _ that the baby is part you. I think that’s what’s making her love him or her so much.”

“I don’t know,” the disagreement comes with a sigh. “She loved that baby before I came into the picture. I don’t say that in a resentful way, either. I admired it, and I still do,” although there are more words on the tip of her tongue, she keeps them to herself, CeCe waiting but taking over once her apprehension becomes visibly stronger.

“In a way, you’re not wrong. She loved the concept of carrying a child and having someone who’d love her unconditionally, but, before you two met, she didn’t know whose baby she was carrying,” she pauses, eyes drifting to the side of the room, and snickers. “Wow, that sounds horrible out of context.”

Emily laughs, CeCe following suit while rubbing her forehead before settling down and re-explaining herself.

“What I mean is that… she didn’t have any real connection to go on. She never came into any form of contact with the sperm donor, not even through a thank-you card,” she’s turned to by Emily, the girl’s words all too wise and prodding. “With you, she at least got some closure when she sent  _ you _ , the anonymous donor, that card, but it wasn’t enough. Or so I could tell.”

Her head bows, recalling further, “She let it go, though, because no one ever imagines coming across the person whose baby they’re carrying if it’s through a program like that. Then, she met you, and… suddenly you had this big connection, and I know that because she told me about you on the same day you loaned her money at the pharmacy.”

The brunette bites her inner cheek, new thoughts popping up in her brain as they push to be heard and vented about.

“But won’t it scare her away if I mention it?” the first worry spills from her mouth with a slight crack in the middle, looking conflicted. “We already talked about it, and I don’t want her thinking I’m saying these things because I feel obligated or guilty,” her shoulders slouch. “I just… I feel connected to her, too. In so many ways.”

CeCe listens, noticing that Emily has more to say because, in the short period of silence, her furrowed eyebrows deepen with her mouth hanging open.

“I mean, we’re  _ dating _ ,” she finally breathes out, the blonde shifting her jaw at the term as Alison used the same excuse. “I don’t want her thinking I’m forcing a huge commitment on her. I don’t even want her thinking that I’m going to push my way to be a permanent figure in this child’s life.”

“But you  _ do  _ want to be in the kid’s life,” CeCe stresses. “I can tell.”

She swallows hard, looking down again.

“Emily, that’s not a bad thing. Universally speaking, it’s twisted because there’s like… a one in a million chance of this kind of situation happening where you fall for the person who you’re technically, kinda,  _ inadvertently  _ having a baby with, but you’re only human,” internally, she hopes her words are less pleading and more comforting. “I think it’s pretty damn normal to want to be a part of a kid’s life when they’re  _ your  _ kid.”

Her jaw shifts in response to the reality of the situation, trying to comprehend but having a difficult time when there’s just so much involved.

The blonde’s voice softens, “I really don’t think Alison would take that away from you, even if you two, God forbid, didn’t work out, in the end. You mean too much to her, and she’d never want to hurt you like that.”

This time, it gets Emily’s full attention, brown eyes looking in her direction with CeCe nodding, smiling, and adding, “She’s a little feisty, as I’m sure you already know, but she loves that this baby is a part of you and wants to celebrate the idea.”

Chuckling, more so to herself, her eyes go wide while she looks away, “She’s more involved with you than she’s  _ ever  _ been with Elliott━God, please don’t tell her I said that.”

It gets a laugh, CeCe making a “yikes” face at herself before inhaling, letting her shoulders relax, and tilting her head at Emily. 

“Look, I may be ‘one with the law,’ or so Ali likes to say, but I think there’s a bigger reason as to why she chose you,  _ specifically _ , to be her anonymous donor, and why you agreed to it,” her eyes hold a smile. “The universe is a weird place, and it works in the strangest ways. I don’t believe you were meant to be just a stepping stone in her life.”

“She said I caught her eye,” Emily confesses, voice lower than ever before in this conversation. “My DNA.”

“All I’m saying is that it means something. Use that something to your advantage.”

The words resonate with Emily, remembering when she and Alison spoke about seeing each other sometime, and how she asked the girl, once they found each other again, if it was their “sometime.” Maybe this is their “something,” and, CeCe’s right: the universe works in strange ways ━ like this is supposed to happen, and this is where they’re supposed to be. 

Emily takes a breath, something else on her mind as CeCe side-eyes the brunette without prying the information out of her with the looks she’s been giving the girl since she got here. She wants Emily to feel comfortable enough to be straight-up with her, and, within a few moments, the idea is confirmed. 

“You said she loves that the baby is a part of me,” Emily glances at CeCe for confirmation, the girl nodding with a soft hum that gives her the green-light to continue.

With another small bit of caution, Emily bites her bottom lip, eventually making herself vulnerable with never-ending honesty.

“I love the baby because I feel he or she is… a part of  _ her _ , even though I know it’s totally not biologically possible,” she shakes her head while explaining, feeling stupid for saying it once the words are in the air.

“No, I completely understand,” although CeCe frowns, her response is definite, nodding more solidly than before to let Emily know that she’s serious.

Through the oncoming silence yet vast agreements, the two briefly lock eyes before CeCe sighs with a quiet “Okay,” Emily paying attention to the way she looks toward the kitchen with her following, thoughtful “Um…”

CeCe turns to her, “I have to go to work, but my number is on the fridge if you need  _ anything _ .” 

“Alright,” Emily clears her throat, stepping away from the door so the girl can exit. “Thank you, by the way. For everything,” her words come quick, hoping they get out before CeCe leaves.

She’s given a genuine smile, CeCe locking away her softness by lowering her voice and instructing, “Take care of her.”

“I will.”

“Thank you,” there’s something in the way she says it, Emily muses, and the blonde’s eyes sparkle with another sense of mutual respect and underlying praise on the subject.

The door closes behind Alison’s friend, Emily sliding the lock into place before taking a breath and walking steps further into the apartment. She dims the overhead lighting of the living room, not wanting to blind the blonde if she scurries out of her bedroom for any reason, and she makes her way over to the closed door which Alison rests behind. Her fingers carefully wrap around the doorknob, other hand holding onto the barrier so it doesn’t squeak when opening, and she gently pushes it so she can slip inside.

Alison is snuggled up to her spare body pillow, facing the wall, and her posture is scrunched as if she’s too cold to stretch out. Emily frowns, standing in the doorway for a few extra moments before advancing toward the mattress within the confines of the dark-ish room. She wonders if she should close the curtains completely, wanting Alison to sleep as much as possible in hopes of getting over this cold as fast as she can, but, in the end, leaves them cracked open.

Her feet take her to Alison’s side of the bed, a constant, sympathetic pout on her face as she gingerly sits on the very edge of the mattress. It causes Alison to stir, Emily watching her eyelids struggle to open when they want to stay closed, and the brunette reaches out to push some hair behind her ear.

The action is granted the scene of Alison opening her eyes to focus on her girlfriend, making a disgruntled sound and nudging into the pillow further even though she noticeably forces herself more awake.

“Go back to sleep,” Emily whispers, hand sliding down her arm.

“I don’t want to.”

“Seriously?” the brunette quirks an eyebrow, Alison reopening one eye with an oncoming, tired smirk on her face. “You’re sick, yet you’re still trying to be stubborn?”

“It comes naturally,” she rolls onto her back, clearing her throat heavily as Emily watches with concern. 

Staring at the ceiling, Alison explains, “The doctor said I’m sorta dehydrated,” and the other girl furrows her eyebrows while tilting her head to the side.

“That doesn’t make sense,” her eyes float to the door. “I’ve probably watched you drink the pharmacy’s entire, weekly shipment of Gatorade. _ Twice. _ ”

“I know,”  it comes with a faint laugh, the brunette shaking her head with a dopey smile.

“I’ll get you more, then. And some water,” she raises her eyebrows in a form of lecture. “Have you taken the medicine they gave you?”

“Yeah, Ce made me before I got into bed.”

“Good,” pushing herself off the bed, Emily mutters, “I’ll be right back,” before walking out of the room, Alison briefly putting her hands over her eyes when they begin to sting.

It isn’t long before the brunette is re-entering the room, putting the bottle of Gatorade and a glass of water on her girlfriend’s bedside table, afterwards standing in place, taking a breath, and looking at Alison whose eyes continue to bore into the ceiling until she’s spoken to.

“Do you need anything else?”

“I need you to sleep here with me,” a smile gradually appears, matched with a slight whine. “Preferably now.”

“Okay, baby,” Emily coos with a mild silliness, walking around the edge of the bed so she can get to her own side.

“I like when you call me baby,” her next grin is exhausted, opening her eyes just enough to focus and see Emily wearing sweatpants paired with a shirt. 

While the brunette peels back the bed’s covers, she hears, “Take your sweatpants off.”

It earns an automatic laugh, Emily narrowing her eyes, “Why?”

“Because your skin is much warmer, and I’m cold right now.”

Following a small stare-down, Emily does as told with the slow motion of slipping out of her sweatpants until they’re tossed onto the nearby dresser, ready to get into bed before, again, Alison stops her with an unmoved “Shirt, too” that her girlfriend makes a “seriously?” face at.

“Please.”

At the word, Emily complies with the remnants of a faint smirk over her features, leaving her in her bra and underwear. She doesn’t move to shimmy under the covers, however, and remains standing by the bed with obvious apprehension that Alison stares at her for.

“Do you think you got sick from last night?” 

“First of all, that doesn’t make any sense,” her face drops into that of judgement, giving Emily a pair of stressing eyes. “Secondly, don’t even go there. It isn’t, in  _ any  _ way, your fault.”

The brunette only partly nods, not giving her much of a response that, either way, Alison doesn’t wait for.

“Now, come here,” the demand is soft but instructive, Emily chuckling when she sees the girl pulling on the covers so she can slide under, and the brunette does as silently told just as Alison begins turning onto her side so they can spoon.

The fresh, skin-on-skin contact when Alison’s shirt lifts up makes a small, content sigh escape through the crack of her dry lips, Emily’s arm resting on her waist as she continues to get situated behind her girlfriend. The bed is warm, mostly a result of Alison’s body heat that she, unfortunately, can’t necessarily revel in, herself, and Emily leans in to press a couple of kisses to the back of the blonde’s neck. Alison hums again, biting her lower lip between her teeth.

“You really didn’t have to leave practice early,” she mumbles, feeling a firm grasp on her hip as Emily nuzzles against the back of her neck for more warmth.

“Shh, yes I did,” again, Emily kisses the tender skin beneath her mouth, afterwards getting comfortable against the pillow without further distracting her girlfriend from getting some rest.

At the statement, Alison feels Emily’s fingers twitch against her waist, smoothly reaching down and moving the girl’s hand onto her stomach. They mutually open Emily’s palm, gently pressing it to her stomach in a silent request to make her feel better. Similar to the first time it happened, Emily feels butterflies break free throughout her torso, but now it’s much more familiar to her, and she happily complies.

Initially, Alison believes Emily didn’t take the hint when she doesn’t feel any movement, but her wonders are soon shot down when the brunette’s hand sneaks underneath her shirt and her body is moving impossibly closer, fingertips beginning to gently press in all the right places in a way that massages her stomach like she’s done before. A sigh exits her throat at the newfound stimulation, only strengthening when a final kiss is placed on the back of her neck to extract a hum and a fresh smile. 

The overwhelming amount of care and genuinity makes her throat clench with her lips sealing, a bigger emotion forcing its way into her heart and mind with intent to be heard; she wants to put her love into words by simply turning around, kissing Emily, and proclaiming every emotion that she feels when they’re together ━ especially now ━ but, as she lies sick and sweaty, she feels it’ll lack its true color. Instead, she swallows those massive, three words, clearing her throat and only managing a whisper. 

“I know I said it before, but thank you for always taking care of me.”

Coming with the sense of determination to let her love be heard is another thought: Emily isn’t only taking care of Alison, but taking care of both her and the baby, and she wishes she could voice that. Part of her knows she should’ve; she should’ve used the term “us” instead of “me,” but the opportunity is passed and now she’s stuck turning her head to press one eye to the pillow in a form of self-annoyance.

Behind her, however, Emily has the same struggle, a response on the tip of her tongue without having the strength to come out. She thinks about what she talked about with CeCe, and how strong the girl’s words were in terms of this relationship becoming more mature with a baby involved, and how Alison wishes she’d acknowledge it. Truly, it’s not like she’s been trying to  _ avoid  _ it, but, on the other hand, she’s admittedly tiptoed around the idea of this child sharing her genetics because, at the beginning of their relationship, she promised that it was only about what she feels for Alison ━ which, obviously, still stands.

But maybe CeCe is right; perhaps it’s time to at least slowly come to terms with what they’re dealing with, and maybe it’ll push things into an even-greater place. Emily nibbles her lower lip, rubbing Alison’s stomach and feeling a slight hardness beneath her fingertips that she hadn’t noticed before, making everything far more real, and, honestly, bringing a childish shade to her features as a tiny grin peaks over her mouth. 

The epiphany makes her eyes close heavily once she takes a breath, mouth closing after her lips parted just barely, and she lays her head against the back of Alison’s for more comfort.

Before too much time passes, and with a new drive to kick her nervousness in the ass because, hell, they both need a little shove, she finally whispers her reply.

“I’ll always take care of both of you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, sorry for cutting their contentedness so short, but…
> 
> I feel like we're getting somewhere. Don't you?
> 
> CeCe's words really kicked Emily's ass in a way which was needed (also, how cute was that conversation?). Both Emily and Alison have been tiptoeing around this for so long, but they're going to be (little by little) working to meet in the middle with decisions being made. This chapter held a lot of decisions, like with Emily opening herself up by suggesting she could stay with Alison if/when she moves, and Alison asking if Emily will come to her ultrasound ━ an idea which I know a lot of people wished to see, including myself. That scene, when it happens, will be a big turning point because, in general, it's a huge moment for most "expecting" couples. I never want to compare Emison to a standard couple, or say what they're going through is what "usually married" couples go through, but, really, it is. They've come so far in such a short amount of time, but it hasn't been rushed (not in my opinion, at least), so we'll continue on this path.
> 
> Speaking of the fact that Emily suggested she could stay with Alison… they still have to discuss it more, and I say that because, at the moment, it's not a serious invite. Emily proposed the idea, but it was more so a dribble of bait to see if Alison took it. So, as of now, it's really not an invite at all, if you think about it, but Emily wanted to let the offer stew for a bit. We'll witness the same type of conversation on multiple accounts until they're finally mutually able to put their hearts on the line with an abrupt "Do you or do you not want this life together?" For now, we're stuck yelling at them to move it along ━ but, on the other hand, maybe some of you are enjoying this tediously slow pace.
> 
> But did you see how I said the night before was pretty much a turning point for them? Now, we're able to detect how closely they're approaching the line of "childish, teenage relationship (no matter how old they are) with a side of domestic, together-ed life." ━ Emily, in a way, looks at this baby as being genetically both of theirs (biology, be damned), whereas Alison does the same, in her own light. Alison looks at their relationship as a forming family life ━ A.K.A. something she's wanted for years. Heck, they're even comfortable enough to make egg jokes.
> 
> Now, I don't want anyone to worry about Alison's cold. It's really just that: a cold. It's not going to harm anyone, but I figured it'd bring another type of fluff to the story because everyone's a sucker for beautiful women taking care of their girlfriends. Am I wrong? No? I didn't think so.
> 
> Chapter twelve is shaping up to be an important step in the fic, mostly because we'll finally hear Alison's explanation of why she is the way she is, meaning why she's so focused on family-life. A small spoiler: It's one of those wonderful, three-in-the-morning conversations that are so special, calm, and much-needed.
> 
> While you wait (im)patiently for the next update (and while I wait anxiously to post), I hope you enjoy yourselves, your pets, your holiday decorating, your holiday shopping, and everything in-between. I'll be trying to do the same.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Steps on crunching snow to break the silence of just about everyone*
> 
> Is it the seasonal depression, or just the fact that none of us have anything to say? Well, if it's the first thing, I hope you feel uppity sooner rather than later, and, otherwise, keep on rockin' your silent personality.
> 
> For the sole reason that I, too, haven't been feeling myself, plus my words have been running thin, anyway… I'll let you enjoy this chapter without rambling on (for this first author's note). The ending note is free game, though.
> 
> Enjoy.

“Do you want more tea?”

Emily nods toward the other girl’s cup as they sit on the couch, Alison taking a moment to comprehend what she asked before ultimately shaking her head as the brunette stares at her. The silent answer lingers in the air, Alison soon letting out a tiny, exhausted laugh that Emily tilts her head at, the blonde closing her eyes and all but whining.

“What I really want are three shots of tequila and the ability to rest comfortably,” her voice makes the idea sound so comical in a dark way, Emily giving her a sympathetic half-smile, half-frown with those same, caring eyes that Alison turns away from once again.

“Soon,” Emily puts a small emphasis on the word, eyebrows raising.

“Months,” Alison corrects, locking eyes with brown.

They let the short-lived conversation die, Emily picking up on Alison’s mood-change and deciding against nipping at it further.

The clock hits the 3:15 A.M. mark in the confines of the mostly dark living room, the brunette opening her eyes approximately thirty minutes ago once being awakened from her half-assed slumber to find her girlfriend sitting up in bed. 

She followed suit without thinking twice, mimicking the girl’s posture until Alison began to rub her eyes with equal parts irritation and exhaustion. At first, Emily wasn’t sure if the blonde noticed she woke up, but her questions were answered within seconds once Alison’s hands flopped onto the mattress in front of her, staring ahead at the door and flatly droning,  _ “You can go back to sleep.” _

It didn’t take Emily long to protest — in fact, she was shaking her head before Alison could get the full sentence out — and she slid away from under the covers to extend her hand for the other girl to take with a careful _ “Come on.” _ Alison reluctantly took the offer, originally bowing her head and giving Emily a pair of self-annoyed eyes that clearly expressed how easily she could’ve bursted into tears, right then and there. 

It wouldn’t have been any different from the other time it happened, really; three days ago, at the midpoint of Alison’s diagnosed cold, the girl had been struggling to do everyday things, asking Emily to clip her bra in the back because her limbs were too sore to do much of anything. As soon as the subtle snap was heard, Emily muttering,  _ “There,”  _ Alison sealed her lips shut, turned around slowly, and stumbled into her girlfriend’s arms with tears streaming down her cheeks. Emily understood, not saying a word aside from those of comfort, and they stayed like that for an extended amount of time before resting together.

Luckily, the cold faded just five days after her doctor-visit, but her mood swings apparently didn’t get the memo, and Alison snapped at Emily quite a few times over the extent of the early week, most instances being due to the brunette asking a question that her girlfriend figured she should already know the answer to. It’s gotten Emily to back off only a step or two, knowing that it’s primarily due to Alison’s ill health with the obvious, hormonal reasoning ━ plus, in a way, it helps to know that the girl hasn’t only been  _ at her  _ throat; CeCe and Aria have additionally experienced it, though the taller blonde tends to bite back until their third friend breaks it up.

_ “Good luck,” _ CeCe had muttered to Emily, the brunette wanting to apologize on Alison’s behalf however not doing so because 1) she knows how close the three are bonded, no matter what, and 2) it’s not her place to speak for her girlfriend.

None of that is to say Alison hasn’t been  _ trying  _ to control herself, on the other hand, because Emily has noticed that the girl’s eyes slam shut whenever she gets snappy, or she crosses her arms with a pained face after realizing what she said and how it came out. She’s also apologized, the brunette seeing her eyes water occasionally due to the lack of ability to explain what she’s feeling, and, each time, Emily would accept it with a caring voice.

Sickness and hormones aside, their relationship has been steady, Emily still caring for Alison at every opportune moment, with the two spending more and more time together. They’ve learned to work as a team ━ they’re  _ still  _ learning ━ when it comes to things, nothing heavy in terms of baby-oriented conversations have been thrown back and forth, and, truly, Emily constantly gets Alison to smile, no matter how gross she’s feeling. 

They even went on a cute, sunset walk around the neighborhood one day, Alison whining that she’s been cooped up in the apartment for too long. Emily, in turn, came up with the small plan, and Alison laced their fingers together immediately once stepping onto the sidewalk. Of course, they ran into Hanna and Mona who had been leaving the diner for the evening, the introductions being cut short as Emily didn’t want to give them too much time to dig for answers when Alison wasn’t feeling totally up to par. 

_ “Breakfast sometime, don’t forget,”  _ Hanna threw to the couple as they walked away, Emily giving her a sarcastic thumbs-up even though she hadn’t been looking back.

Out of the corner of her eye, Emily can see Alison struggling to get comfortable on the couch, a pillow hugged to her stomach with a pained expression covering her features in a way that also signifies how bothered she’s becoming ━ both currently and in general.

“Have you been taking your medicine?” she chooses to ask the blonde, already knowing the answer, and, as she gets side-eyed, regretting the decision to voice her obvious concerns because━ 

“You know I have.” 

Emily falls silent at the snippy response, Alison clearly trying to stop herself from sounding so annoyed with the brunette because, sincerely, the problem isn’t with her, nor should she have any sort of blame put on her.

Seeing what she did with Emily shrinking back, mug of tea clasped in her hand as her head bows slightly, Alison sighs, bites her inner cheek, and apologizes. 

“I’m sorry. I know I keep saying that, and then I do it again, but… I really am sorry.”

She leans down and puts her forehead against her hand, stressing, “I just… I  _ hate  _ feeling helpless. I hate feeling like there’s nothing I can do to fix myself.”

Emily detects the self-frustrated voice, Alison acting like it’s some psychological issue as opposed to the reality: pregnancy. It makes her frown, wanting to get the concept through her girlfriend’s head as soon as possible because it’s clear that she’s going to break down if she doesn’t comprehend it quickly.

“But you’re not broken,” Emily eases herself forward. “You’re  _ pregnant _ .”

“I know,” Alison swallows hard, eyebrows furrowing when she begins to think.

Across the couch, Emily waits, watching the girl’s face morph with that of deep thought before Alison licks her lips, shifts her jaw, and lets out a soft laugh until they lock eyes, soon explaining herself.

“I’m just so sick of feeling this way,  _ already _ . I’m tired of the sickness, and sick of being tired,” she chuckles again, Emily seeing sadness in her eyes. “I want to sleep, and feel healthy. I want to be comfortable in jeans again, which, _ by the way, _ I’ll have to buy a new pair of soon since I’m finally…” her gaze floats down to the pillow resting against her torso, hugging it tighter and swearing she can feel her stomach’s firmness through the fabric.

She takes a deep breath, giving no one in particular a dark laugh as her eyes trail off to the side of the room, confessing, “I want my confidence back, too,” once she thinks about how self-conscious she’s been whenever they begin to get handsy or heated in bed ━ not that it’s been much — and how she doesn’t feel entirely comfortable until a blanket is hiding their bodies.

Alison will hardly look at her, almost like her courage is periodically faltering and tumbling lower and lower. Emily makes a sympathetic face without showing too much of it to Alison in fear that the blonde will take it the wrong way and put some of those old, mental walls up. The darkness cascades a shadow upon both of their faces, anyway, making them feel a little more comfortable as silence forms around the space.

“I don’t know how you’re feeling, Ali, and I won’t pretend to,” Emily bows her head, whispering loud enough for the girl to hear. “I know you’re going through a lot of changes that you don’t like, but I guess the best thing to think about is what you’re enduring this for,” she reminds, looking up to see a faint color of blue staring at her through the dimmed lighting. “Or  _ who _ .” 

Alison studies her fully once hearing her girlfriend hint at the baby instead of tiptoeing around the subject. They both feel a certain clenching of their throats, the weight of that particular topic still monumental ━ perhaps too heavy for a three-in-the-morning chat ━ and, as a result, Emily escapes the thought by opening her mouth again.

“I wish I could offer more than someone to talk to, but I’ll always be that person, either way,” a tiny smile peaks over her mouth. “Even at three in the morning,” the cheeky addition is thrown in, earning a small, breathy chuckle from Alison.

“Just being here makes me feel better, thank you,” her grin is matched, Alison muttering, “and the tea was a nice touch.”

Their fractional bit of laughter fades away faster than it came, the girls tired even though they’re keeping themselves awake ━ Emily for the sake of taking care of her girlfriend, and Alison simply not being able to get comfortable in any way, shape, or form. 

Alison stares at the girl in front of her, watching Emily’s eyes droop every now and then whilst looking around the darkened living room, and she wants to tell her that she can go back to bed, however doesn’t because, honestly, it’s quite clear that the brunette won’t be leaving her alone ━ much like every other day. It makes her heart swell with contentedness, actually, constantly feeling at ease to know that Emily will stick by her side throughout, well,  _ hopefully  _ anything. She smiles, admiring her girlfriend.

“Like I said, I really do apologize for being so pissy, the past few days,” Alison breaks the silence with a small, childish and vulnerable voice. “I know you’re just trying to make sure I don’t become unhinged,” she laughs at her own word-choice, Emily offering a smile with little to no effort.

She wants to say it’s okay, or at least nod and say she forgives Alison, but figures that’s pretty much a given; no matter how often or hard she snaps, Emily knows it isn’t the girl’s true colors, and most of this is happening due to feeling like crap for the past however-many days. Hopefully it clears up in due time ━ which she knows it will ━ and, otherwise, she’ll take the punches one by one without batting an eyelash. 

Something sticks in her mind, on the other hand, occasionally wondering if maybe she could do something differently, or if she’s going too overboard with her nurturing, this early on in their relationship. It makes her swallow hard with a tinge of nervousness, wanting to cover her bases, in case.

“Just make sure you tell me if I overstep, Ali,” the request comes with pleading eyes. “I know you say you appreciate it, but I don’t want to get too overbearing.”

At her nervous words, Alison gives her an understanding smile, puts the pillow behind her, and opts to move closer to Emily so they can cuddle up. It’s an unexpected motion, Emily untangling her own position of being cross-legged on the couch while placing her cup onto the coffee table, and, soon, her girlfriend is snuggled into her arms, lips pressing against her jawline a couple of times before they settle into the new arrangement of Alison somewhat lying between her thighs as she sits upright. 

“I already told you that I’ll mention it if you ever hurt or bother me with something,” she claims, leaning up and pressing another kiss to Emily’s cheek. “Don’t worry. Your extreme care isn’t what’s grinding on my nerves. It’s the fact that I don’t think there’s  _ anything _ , in particular, pissing me off. I’m just getting frustrated for no reason.”

“ _ Again _ , I know it’s probably not the same, but that happened when I went through the hormone injections,” Emily partly thinks aloud, looking at the ceiling as Alison gets comfortable, back leaning against her girlfriend’s torso. “Hanna and Spencer got the brunt of it. I didn’t dare snap at Mona. She would’ve killed me.”

Alison laughs before taking a breath and quietly claiming, “They seem sweet,” while remembering their short encounter. 

“They seem it, yeah.”

“You don’t mean that,” the blonde’s smile turns into an accusing smirk, though Emily can’t see.

“I don’t,” it’s confirmed with a sigh. “They keep me busy, honestly, and I’m super thankful for them. They’re all part of my family, really. Toby, too, and Hanna’s fiancé, Caleb. We used to get together and have movie nights, but we haven’t recently.”

“Why not?” Alison entwines their fingers, cozily lying between Emily’s legs along the couch as their clasped hands are rested on her stomach.

“I don’t know,” she digs within her own mind for an answer. “Work, probably. Life, maybe. I miss it, but I never want to be that person in the group who points out everything we  _ don’t  _ do anymore. I don’t want to seem ungrateful for the small get-togethers we  _ do  _ still have.”

“Well, odds are that some, if not  _ all  _ of them, are thinking the same as you,” her words are so smooth and insight-giving, Emily’s fingers untangling from Alison’s just barely, palms lying pressed to the girl’s stomach with ease as hands cover hers. 

“Maybe,” Emily takes a breath, glancing down to see where her hands rest. “I guess that’s why I’m kinda excited for Thanksgiving. Everyone will be together again, and we’ll all be making new connections. Your friends and mine.”

She remembers when the plan was solidified, and how, when Emily brought up the Toby-Ezra-Aria-Alison connection, Spencer’s mouth dropped with a sudden, elongated and floored  _ “Oh”  _ coming forward, followed by the short explanation,  _ “Wow, I didn’t… put two and two together. She’s spoken of an Alison before, but I figured the name isn’t all that uncommon,”  _ that only earned an agreeing, squinted-eyed expression. 

“That’s going to be  _ some _ family dinner,” it’s laced with sarcasm and comedy, Alison raising her eyebrows and giggling.

Emily does the same, but her faint amusement trails off when thinking about her parents and their usual tradition. It makes her bite her lower lip, memories swirling around in her mind with a small bit of guilt because, as a kid, she remembers pouting when her father couldn’t make it, but now she’s the one backing out. It’s bittersweet, that’s for sure, but maybe they can somehow plan for both events.

“What do you think about seeing my parents for an early, Thanksgiving dinner? Like, the weekend before?” there’s a hint of apprehension in the way she asks, as if she’s not sure that the plan will make Alison feel uneasy.

“Sure,” her caution is diminished when the blonde responds, Alison catching onto her hesitation and turning her head to look at Emily whose mouth is slightly opened with stunned features making her appear adorable.

Alison chuckles, “What, you didn’t think I’d be okay with it?”

“I just didn’t know if you’d want to. I feel like that’s a big thing, I guess. I don’t know,” the repetitive not-knowingness makes Alison notice her defenses going up, the blonde’s hands pulling Emily’s arms tighter around her.

“I understand,” she mutters. “I’d probably feel the same way about asking you to have a big dinner with  _ my  _ parents. I think it’s because parent-girlfriend dinners are always considered a milestone in terms of seriousness,” her chin tilts upward to look at Emily, smiling. “You must be serious about me.”

Emily leans in to kiss her lips, lingering hardly an inch away while whispering, “I’m very serious about you.” 

The other girl hums into the kiss, feeling Emily’s hands absentmindedly rub against her upper stomach with a newfound type of comfortability regarding the closeness. It only strengthens her desire to regain some confidence, wanting to voice the touchy knowledge with a smug yet gentle grin before kissing Emily even harder. Instead, she’s stuck wishing her words would be out in the open, only reveling in the way her girlfriend cares for her through subtle gestures and soft pecks, Alison also wanting to be at a better position so they could capitalize on this quiet moment alone.

That’s probably another reason why she’s been so tense: whenever she wants to go a bit further with the sporadic waves of confidence that gift her body and mindset, they’re either not alone, not free, or  _ she’s  _ not energetic enough, leading her to feel like she’s trapped inside her own sexual frustration and knotted-up limbs. The multiple times that Emily had massaged her legs didn’t help, either, Alison always chewing her lower lip and enjoying the sensation without being able to grasp onto some momentum and convince the brunette into bringing her into the bedroom.

She adjusts her position slightly, kissing Emily twice more until the brunette leans her forehead against her girlfriend’s.

Alison wants to argue against putting distance between them, feeling the constant, magnetic pull between their bodies as she can almost taste Emily on the tip of her tongue. She doesn’t move to seem so eager, realistically, and studies the brunette’s features while she’s up close ━ albeit at the weirdest angle. The way brown eyes struggle to keep away from her lips is enticing ━ just the knowledge and tendency, each on its own ━ and it brings a smile to curve Alison’s mouth in the faintest way. She wants to brush her fingers down Emily’s cheek, and admire her in the silenced lighting of the room, feeling like they’re the only two in the world in the midst of the night.

Emily, similarly, feels something between them, like they’re always picking up scattered pieces of new bonds. This one comes in the form of a stature beyond comfort, mimicking one’s safe haven in the depths of something a person wouldn’t first think of. Flashing back, she’s always been one to admire late-night chats, or conversations that go down with a best friend whilst sitting in a weird, unthought-of place, but they were seldom scattered throughout her life, primarily stopping after high school. She always missed them, however, and, now that she’s here with Alison, it’s understood that she’s possibly been waiting for the right person to share these kind of intimate moments with ━ amongst other things. Emily mirrors Alison’s smile.

The blonde feels butterflies let loose in her stomach, nowadays settling into the sensation peppered throughout her gut because, by the fourth time it happened, she grew tired of trying to fend the relentless emotions off. 

With a kiss being pressed to her temple, Alison shimmies lower in order to return to her former position between Emily’s legs, somewhat sitting up with fingers drawing patterns along the shirt’s fabric covering her stomach.

“You know, I never pictured anything like this,” Alison confesses, voice light in a way that’s serene, Emily getting comfortable. “During the obsessive period of time when I wanted a family, when I was with Elliott, I never imagined these kinds of moments, or… feeling…  _ anything _ , really.”

The brunette doesn’t flinch at her ex’s name, one corner of Alison’s mouth turning upward at the lack of reaction because she assumes that’s a good sign; they’re both more mature than that, able to acknowledge the past without letting it interfere with the future.

“Everything was always so cut-and-dried when I thought about it,” as she continues, a sigh escapes her throat, fingers dragging across the back of Emily’s hands. “I figured we’d finally get pregnant, then… I don’t know. I just didn’t plan for what it’d entail. I don’t know why I didn’t, honestly, because pregnancy isn’t all it’s cracked up to be,” the end of her sentence is broken by a disbelieving chuckle, the brunette doing the same.

She takes a breath, trailing off, “I had imagined a lot, like… picking out a name, buying clothes, planning family activities for when he or she was finally born, but never anything  _ real _ . Nothing substantial.”

Again, her hands grasp onto Emily’s, tugging the girl’s arms just a bit more around her so she’s snuggled in place. Emily laughs at the movement, helping Alison by pulling her closer.

“Then you came along,” Alison turns her head, briefly looking up to see Emily’s eyes trailing off with a subtle grin crossing her mouth.

She reassumes her position, staring across the room with her self-distracting motions of playing with her girlfriend’s hands, and her explanation is heard.

“I’m always thinking about━and sometimes  _ talking  _ about━how Elliott changed who I was before,” her lips rub together in thought, putting her words in order. “I remember, when I met him, I was still, in a way, immature. I didn’t have much going for me. I mean, I was in college, studying, but still… _ out of place _ . I didn’t belong anywhere, or so I figured.”

Emily turns her palms upward, Alison’s fingertips tickling her skin as they both pay attention to what’s being said.

“He changed that part of me, as I told you, and made me see that I was important. I could do whatever I set my mind to, and I could have whatever life I chose, as long as I wanted it,” Alison swallows hard, recalling everything with a tiny grin on her face. “At first, since I was a  _ rebel _ ,” her voice takes on a cheeky tone, Emily smiling, “I ignored it, continued on my path of studying with an attitude that was the least bit appealing, and just… went with life to nowhere in particular.”

As Alison falls back on her life’s events, Emily’s eyes narrow, listening word from word while also wondering where she fits into the puzzle. She’s patient, however, and doesn’t interrupt, occasionally turning her head toward Alison’s so she can place a kiss relatively near her temple.

“After seeing my parents go through so much shit together when I was younger, it bothered me. I became somewhat detached from myself, like my childhood dreams, goals, and everything in-between. Normal kids want to be vets, or doctors, or astronauts, but I always remembered wanting to have a healthy home-life until I realized that I never would, so I gave up,” she shrugs. “I wasn’t depressed, or sad. Just… expressionless, I guess. Robbed of my childhood, in a way.”

Taking a breath, she mutters, “That memory is what finally got me to listen to Elliott,” and her head bows at her own words ━ a result of the recollection being just as impactful in comparison to when she first felt it.

“I found myself admiring families, and couples, and seeing how close they are with so much happiness and  _ love _ ,” Alison smiles. “I wanted that. I wanted to build that once-desired, nice home-life for myself, and I wanted to share it with someone, then a few more  _ someone _ ’s. I never dreamt of having a specific occupation, but I always had that goal of being happy and ‘normal.’”

At her openness and sheer vulnerability, Emily leans down and semi-buries her face into the crook of Alison’s neck, smiling against her skin as the blonde feels the expression pressed to her body. She mirrors it, more words on the tip of her tongue.

“I still wasn’t mature, though,” her self-disagreement gets Emily’s attention, the brunette trying to peer at her face through the awkward angle, “and that’s where you come in.”

Emily squints partly, the statement getting her eyes to sparkle as Alison turns to face her just enough.

“You know I’m not always an open book,” she begins, the brunette’s purposely evading gaze floating to the other side of the room, lips pursed, with Alison wanting to roll her eyes at her bluntness. “Nine out of ten times, I’m holding back the majority of my feelings because that’s just who I am,” her bottom lip gets trapped between her teeth for a split second. “You deal with me, though, and for that, I think I owe it to you to be honest about this, especially because it’s nearly four in the morning, and we have nothing better to do, apparently.”

She earns a laugh, also giggling at herself. In the short pause, Emily entwines their fingers again, resting them in the same place.

“ _ You’re _ the one who matured me,” Alison whispers. “You’re the person who brought me down to Earth, and made me look at things differently, in a realistic way, and I want to thank you.”

Her proclamation is almost cut short by soft lips capturing hers, Alison’s eyes fluttering shut instantly. She’s not done, however, and manages to back up with Emily focusing on her features once more, looking sheepish for coming off as so needy.

In a bigger attempt to get her point across, Alison undoes their fingers and gingerly maneuveres Emily’s hand so it’s resting against her shirt like before, the action not being missed by the brunette.

“I also want you to know that, no matter what we become, if we’re together, if we’re not… you mean something to me, and I hope you’ll help me create the best life for this baby,” her throat clenches as she displays the underlying plea, soon adding, “I don’t think I could ever do this without you.”

Emily feels her heart jump inside her chest, falling back on CeCe’s words from five days ago with the newfound confirmation of everything she’d said; no matter what, the brunette has been given the opportunity to stay in this baby’s life, despite not knowing where their relationship will be heading in the future, and it feels good. Her past sense of accomplishment comes back, this time in a way that relates to her trust level with Alison, and how the girl looks at the bond they have ━ whether it’s romantic or otherwise. 

The overall mutuality of these emotions is relieving, causing Emily to smile even though her eyes want to water with acceptance and blatant happiness ━ not to mention love, and so much of it.

“I meant what I said the other day, Ali,” Emily beams, hiding her misty eyes. “I’ll always take care of both of you, and I don’t plan on leaving. You’ve become an important aspect of my life, and, I’ll be honest with you, I don’t see myself being anywhere other than here.”

A few words bubble on the tip of Alison’s tongue, threatening to spill over in the current moment of the two of them looking into each other’s eyes. Again, they won’t come out, and a slight wave of irritation hits her due to the way it’d make for the perfect end of a late-night, weighted talk, but, almost as if Emily caught onto her growing frustration, her lips are sealed with a softness that’s barely felt, nonverbally telling the blonde to be patient with herself.

Three more pecks lightly stick their lips together, breaking apart each time to let a second of reality linger in the air until they kiss again. Alison is first to keep solid distance between them, still wanting to look into Emily’s eyes, but, this time, through a sudden mask of confidence resulting from her brutal honesty taking place only minutes ago. 

She wonders if she shedded herself of an old skin that kept her confined to a riddled existence, like she was harboring this secret or all of her vulnerabilities in a way that kept her from being her true, courageous self. 

It doesn’t matter, either way, because, before her mind can catch up to what she’s doing, her hand is taking one of Emily’s and pushing off the couch with a quiet “Come on,” similar to the way her girlfriend spoke when they were leaving the bed before three o’clock.

Their clasped hands swing between them, Alison all but dragging Emily toward the bedroom with a subtle shade of eagerness that she hopes isn’t noticeable. The door is closed behind them by the brunette who goes about their normal routine, Alison sliding into bed, pushing her feet under the covers, and waiting for her girlfriend to join.

“How are you feeling?” Emily wonders whilst following suit, slowly getting situated with Alison turning so she can be spooned.

In the face of the question, and with the other girl’s frontside pressing against her back, Alison narrows her eyes at the wall with options swirling in her mind, evoking the thought of being upfront with Emily about how her desire to be bold is becoming hard to ignore. It sparks an inaudible debate, Emily’s arm draped over her side with little to no movement being present, and Alison seals her lips while breathing solidly because the tension is growing ━ at least from her vantagepoint ━ and it’s impossible to shove away. Part of her wishes she knew why this was happening in the dead of night, or if it really  _ is  _ a result of her convictive proclamations from before, but it doesn’t matter, after seconds pass, because she feels her body pushing to act upon it.

Each verbal answer that readied itself disintegrates without being heard, Alison briefly peering over her shoulder before glancing at the hand hanging over her waist, slowly taking it and pressing it to her body until it’s being dragged down her frontside, lower and lower, and ultimately tucked between her legs with the tip of her tongue bitten by her teeth.

Behind her, Emily furrows her eyebrows, her fingers twitching as they’re forcibly stuck between Alison’s thighs, but she doesn’t bother to move because, frankly, her own body feels like fire when thinking about how the blonde knows what she wants. Lately, her persona’s been lacking in that department, her health’s nosedive taking a toll on how she acts both in bed and wherever else they decide to get heated, so to feel Alison being so straightforward brings about a new level of turn-on. 

Alison looks over her shoulder another time, silently asking if it’s okay, and Emily doesn’t move to protest. Instead, the brunette leans closer so her face is near her girlfriend’s exposed neck, breathing onto the skin as her hand is pushed higher between Alison’s legs that spread as much as they can due to the position. At the same time, Alison shimmies backward, nudging her ass against Emily as lips get closer to her neck with intent to press open-mouthed kisses to the warm area. 

The new closeness gets Emily to slightly move her hand, finally taking the full hint with no more doubt lying around, and she hears Alison exhale, the picturization of the blonde’s blue eyes fluttering shut with ecstasy inviting even more sexualization into her imagination. 

With a hand having a firm grip on her wrist, Emily continues to work between Alison’s legs, a teasing nature to her movements, not giving the girl too much or too little. Deep breaths fall from her girlfriend’s lips at a steady rate, clearly wanting more, and Emily presses damp kisses on the back of her neck, shoulder, and behind her ear.

It grows to be too much, too quickly, and Alison seals her lips with a quiet moan breaking from her throat, turning around in Emily’s arms so she’s flat on her back. Her legs spread more than they were able to in her previous position, Alison craning her neck upward to kiss Emily once the girl is leaning a few inches above her, and her hand moves to cradle her lover’s face with hunger strewn throughout her motions. Soon, much to her dismay, she finds it’s no use trying to kiss Emily once her breathing keeps disrupting the embrace, particularly when she feels the girl’s hand continuing to rub against her center through her shorts and panties, and she bites onto the brunette’s lip to firmly tug downward.

Once it’s popped back into place, Emily looks at Alison whose eyes struggle to stay focused, the pressing fingers between her thighs beginning to let up on their speed and friction, and the situation is brought down to a softer, more-cautious level.

“Ali, you should sleep,” a faint smile appears over Emily’s mouth when remembering what time it is, and what brought them to be awake, in the first place: Alison’s uncomfortability and unappeased exhaustion.

“This will help me sleep,” it’s whispered and full of desire, coming out almost immediately, the words hardly making it into the open before she’s bringing Emily’s face back down to hers so they can capitalize on the tension they were building up.

Nevertheless, Emily makes sure to break the embrace with the question, “Do you promise?” and she feels Alison nod with their noses brushing once they go to adjust their mouths, deepening the kiss as tongues trace each other. 

She doesn’t dare question her girlfriend again, wanting her just as badly when she hears faint grunts and moans trying to be released through their heated kiss whenever her hand moves a different way atop the crotch of Alison’s shorts. It’s enough to make Emily want to feel the girl even more, especially when the dampness of the blonde’s center already radiates through the fabric beneath her fingertips, and she lets up on her motions. 

Within seconds, however, the palm that was grasping at her face to keep them close is falling to the mattress, automatically gripping the sheets below them when Emily’s hand slides past the waistband of Alison’s shorts and panties in determination to make her feel everything. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, that's a lot to process.
> 
> Where to start, where to start…
> 
> Okay, here's where we'll start: I know we've been looking for an "I love you" sequence, and this coulda-shoulda-woulda been a pristine opportunity for that, but I really felt as though this chapter was more so about their relationship (non-romantically) in a form of trust and compassion. These are two people who found each other, on a whim, and built something upon "nothing" ━ or what they thought was just connection, or the universe pushing a pair of strangers together. Alison has learned that Emily is vital for her life in a way that keeps her comfortable while allowing her to feel free ━ like a safety net ━ and she wanted to make sure Emily knows that, no matter what happens, they'll stick together as a team. Like counterparts. Sure, in a way, that's love without being defined as such, but it's better to spread and feel it rather than to just say it. To me, Alison managed to express that without directly telling Emily she loves her, and that's my overall view on it. More good things to come, though, don't you worry.
> 
> In this chapter, we finally received a massive explanation. So, for those who wished to hear a specific reasoning as to why Alison ━ the Alison we know and love as being so independent and driven, in any scenario ━ would want to be so domestic and enthralled with the idea of living this common, suburban life, this is why. I don't want to make that sound so negative, so I apologize if I ever come off that way, but I feel we rarely see Alison in this light ━ I, admittedly, enjoy seeing her more feisty and troubled, mostly because that's how I've always viewed her due to on-screen matters. It's refreshing, though, if I do say so, myself. I also believe her story is quite personal and real, coming from a shitty home-life even though her parents attempted to keep the family together with a certain stability, however it fell through and somewhat stained Alison's perception. Obviously, some positivity came out of that former life, causing Alison to have a goal to achieve: her own, tranquil home-life. Any goal is a goal.
> 
> Anyone catch all the intimate moments in this update? And, no, I'm not talking about the ending. I'm sure I speak for everyone (or mostly everyone) when I say it would've been nice to see these types of fluffy moments on-screen. Unfortunately, we weren't able to, but y'all have me to fill in the blanks. So, here we got to see little actions such as Emily being so mindless when it came to holding Alison when they sat on the couch, and how she'd take care of her, and listen, and then we had Alison giving Emily advice on her friends. I'm such a sucker for any type of chat after midnight, also, primarily if I'm sitting on my kitchen floor with someone while eating food we cooked randomly, so that calm, "together" vibe definitely came out to play ━ totally overrunning anything I had written in my outline. Oops.
> 
> I know we've been in a sort of limbo for these past two chapters, but I promise things will be picking up soon. There are many more things to come, like a great, #Spemily chat, a much-needed, sit-down conversation involving Emily's parents, Team Vandermarin, Halloween, Pre-Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving, and, oh yeah, that ultrasound appointment. In no particular order, by the way.
> 
> Just hang in there ━ both in regards to this story, and everything you may be dealing with in reality.
> 
> An update, before I forget: I've actually just finished writing this story's epilogue chapter, so now it's just revising, revising a second time, and posting. Will updates come faster? Maybe, but we'll have to see. Unfortunately, when I said I planned to update faster, I forgot to take the holidays into account, so I've been running around, trying to take time for myself, finishing school, etc. You know I'm 100% loyal when it comes to posting within a four-day span, though, and I won't stretch that.
> 
> Enjoy the next few days.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Waves*
> 
> Let’s get right to it: I received a question asking how many chapters this story will end up, so I’ll just let you know that it’ll be my normal, twenty-one chapters total ━ A.K.A. the twenty main chapters and an epilogue. In addition to that question, I was asked if I’m writing anything and/or if I have any ideas for a new fic. To that I say: I’m not in the process of writing anything, and, as of now, I don’t have any ideas. I mean, I’m sure I always have ideas, but nothing that’s compelling me to outline something new. I’m not sure what the future holds, unfortunately, but we’ll see when we get there! ‘Tis life, I suppose.
> 
> Also, to the person who called Emison not discussing the baby “odd”: while part of me agrees that they’re taking a while, you also have to realize that, at the forefront, these are two people ━ just like you and I ━ navigating through a fresh relationship. They haven’t been together all that long, and it’s very common for them to not want to discuss huge things, especially when one of their first arguments was built on the premise that Alison doesn’t want Emily to feel obligated to stick around. Because of that, Emily is timid about showing her true colors in relation to the baby since she doesn’t want it to seem like she’s more excited about the child than their relationship entirely, and Alison also feels the same. Since they’re a new couple, bracing themselves to come face to face with such a big revelation is frightening; if I had a shiny new girlfriend who was carrying my kid (somehow), I’d be walking on eggshells regarding the topic. That’s my stance.
> 
> It’s dragging on, yes, and I’ll admit that, but this story was more so written to give you a good dose of fluff above anything else.
> 
> I know this beginning author’s note is getting pretty lengthy already, but I want to explain one last thing ━ actually, I want to vent about it. Lately, I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but I’m not the happiest with my writing, and it may be evident through the way I rarely discuss things with y’all even though I used to do it so often/so passionately ━ without repeating myself twenty-million times. In recent months, I feel that a lot of people have only been pointing out what I’m doing wrong, rather than giving me a mix of good and bad feedback. I don’t mean you guys, as some of you give me such positive responses that I smile through the self-negativity, however a peer in my writing class really ground down my confidence, and my professor had, as well. I suppose that’s what you risk when you take a writing class (even if it’s a requirement). Anyway, I hope you just bear with me for the remaining chapters of this fic, and enjoy what I threw together.
> 
> Here’s another chapter to chomp on.

The back of a pen taps against the schedule beneath her eyes, scoping out the pattern of days between practices and scrimmages for her team. She tries to pay attention, pushing herself to zone in on each, individual date without her mind drifting off into the unknown. Her lips are pursed, forehead creased with her back hunched so she’s leaning over the counter, and the rest of her apartment is silent.

With an even-toned hum, Emily straightens her posture and seals her lips while brushing the paper to the side, deciding that she’s already practically burnt a hole through her team’s schedule enough to the point where hopefully the next week or so is ingrained into her memory. When that’s finished, her eyes dart around the room, shuffling through a few ideas of what she should do next while she’s in her own apartment and undistracted by the blonde who mutually agreed with her that they should get some work done since they’ve been attached at the hip for over a week ━ not to say they’ve quit sending clingy, “I miss you” texts back and forth.

Emily smiles while walking out of the kitchen, her body on autopilot as her mind steers toward her memory, bringing back sounds of Alison’s laughter and her shy smirk once her health began improving following her “cold” epidemic. She’s been feeling better, to sum it up, and her attitude toward everything ━ or  _ most  _ things ━ has lightened tenfold with Emily sticking by her side, sleeping at her apartment, and keeping up with the amount of care she constantly radiates.

Unfortunately, Alison’s ill health, at one point, transferred remnants of the short-lived cold to Emily, resulting in the brunette’s skin feeling clammy with scattered headaches, periodically flashing grimaces even though she attempted to hide them from her girlfriend. Obviously, it didn’t work.

_ “Are you feeling alright?”  _ when Alison first caught her expression, Emily standing near the couch as she was about to sit down and watch some TV with the blonde, the girl stood up quickly, features turning pained almost instantly because, deep down, she already knew the answer, and her hands grabbed for her girlfriend’s arms to feel her skin.

Despite Alison’s lips parting without eye contact being made, a blue gaze fixated on her delicate body language, Emily tried to get out a confident (yet automatically faltering)  _ “I… yeah, I’m fine” _ that, on cue, received a look, vividly lecturing, “don’t you dare lie to me.”

The brunette tried to escape the other girl’s pleading eyes, she really did, but it was no use, and Alison ━ if she wasn’t so determined to treat Emily with a gentleness like what had been done, vice versa, for over a week ━ would’ve shoved her into the bedroom with a force that stated, “rest, now.” In reality, Alison disagreed with Emily, whispering, _ “No, you’re not,” _ with an evident trace of guilt in her words, and, before the brunette’s thought-process caught up to what was happening, she was being carefully pulled into the apartment’s bedroom.

_ “Ali, no, we just washed your sheets from when you were sick, and━” _

Her protest was cut short, Alison turning to Emily with a vulnerable  _ “You’re more important,”  _ completely flatlining any argument that the brunette formerly constructed out of nonsense.

They got into bed after Emily stared at her for a short time longer, slipping under the sheets with Alison cuddling up to her within seconds. In all honesty, Emily really didn’t feel well, but luckily it only lasted a day ━ not even ━ and Alison made sure to focus on the brunette in a form of mutual endearment, silently expressing that they’re working as a team ━ they’re  _ always  _ working as a team.

_ “Do you need anything?” _

_ “No, I’m okay,” Emily’s voice stays quiet, like her body has settled into complete relaxation and doesn’t want to disturb itself by speaking at a standard level. _

_ Alison detects her comfortably, snuggling further against her girlfriend and humming at the mirrored security that she gets from the position. Her mouth curves into a smile, Emily feeling it against her neck. _

_ “I think you’re just using this as an excuse to do nothing all day,” the brunette’s accusation comes through a knowing tone, Alison giving her a curt, breathy giggle. _

_ “So what if I am?” _

_ It makes Emily smile, in turn, but the expression doesn’t last long. In fact, it fades within mere seconds, lowering and lowering until she’s worrying at her bottom lip and being honest. _

_ “You know, if I really  _ am  _ sick, I’m sleeping at home.” _

_ “What, why?” the other girl’s head all but flies from where she was nuzzled against a warm neck, looking into brown eyes with a slightly dropped-open mouth and confused, semi-annoyed features that inaudibly repeat the question again and again, primarily because Emily’s slept there for the past however-long, and, now, it just wouldn’t feel right to be alone. _

_ It’s actually terrifying, and Emily feels it, too, but her decision stems from putting Alison ━ and the baby ━ before her own needs. _

_ “I don’t want you to catch whatever it is,” she sighs, looking like she regrets her words but refuses to take them back. _

_ In response, Alison feels the drive to roll her eyes, but her face only stays stoic with a small, deadpanned attitude lying beneath her features.  _

_ “Em, you probably caught  _ my  _ cold. Don’t be ridiculous,” her comment doesn't hold irritation, and she hopes it’s more comforting than anything. “You’re staying here so I can take care of you.” _

_ “Alison…” _

_ “This is one argument you’re definitely not going to win, so stop trying,” a smile breaks the solid, ranting way she uses to talk, Emily staring into blue eyes before falling silent and relenting with a childish, tiny nod. _

Throughout their week together, she’s felt an overwhelming amount of love between them, and it’s clear that Alison picked up on it, too. Some moments become cliché, even, and the two find themselves wanting to make a joke about how heavy their eye contact gets, or simply pretend that they’re not suffering inside because all they want to do is throw cheesy statements back and forth before spilling mindless  _ I love you _ ’s. It’s refreshing, but also frustrating, and Emily wonders if this is part of falling in love with someone, or if she’s already past that point and simply puttering along without having the gall to take that huge leap of outright admitting it. Patience, she tries reminding herself; there’s no rush, and Alison seems to be struggling, just as much.

Not everything has been super calm, however, and the couple had a spike in nerves ━ some good and others worrisome ━ when Alison received a confirmation call about her next ultrasound appointment. Although it’s still not for a few weeks, the blonde had forgotten that she switched doctors ━ a result of the last man being an unpersonable pain in her ass ━ and, as a result, was double-checked with by the clinic.

It came as a reality check, like a swift punch in the gut, both musing without speaking the words aloud, and it comes with a hefty wave of nervousness regarding how big of a step this is going to be for them as a couple; in some, weird way, it may very well bring about a fresh taste to how they look at things, like their future, and what’s going on right now. After all, they’ve finally self-admitted to this being far beyond that of a normal relationship ━ the biggest contributing factor being Alison’s pregnancy. They’re together, though, and Emily realizes that they’ve made it through perhaps the most difficult part of working things out: finding a common ground, and understanding each other.

“Wow, haven’t seen you here, in a while.”

Emily turns quickly at the voice, a smile paving its way across her mouth when her eyes land upon Spencer quirking an eyebrow at how the girl is simply standing in the middle of her apartment’s living room. At the look, Emily gives her an impish grin, eyes flickering around the space with a breath coming through.

“Tell me about it,” she muses. “I’ve lost my key twice in five days because I hardly use it,” a giggle breaks up her mumble, smiling and fiddling with her fingers as she continues to stand.

It’s true, though, and Emily would be lying if she said she didn’t think of simply packing up and forcing her way into Alison’s apartment with a claim that she’s only doing it to keep an eye on her. She knows the blonde wouldn’t mind, but she’s never been one to be so straightforward and ask, plus maybe keeping a “safe,” spare residence isn’t a bad idea. On the other hand, it makes her feel as though it’s a buffer, like it’s an omen that things won’t work out between her and Alison, in the end, even though, at this point, she’s feeling confident in how sturdy they deal with one another: like a committed couple.

“Are you happy?” Spencer asks with the emotion visible against her own demeanor, knowing the answer.

“Right now?”

“In general.”

She can’t help but smile big, her cheeks warming up as she looks away from Spencer because her throat seems to be tightening at the overwhelming amount of endearment. 

“Good,” her friend nods, afterwards rubbing her lips together and timidly looking at Emily. “I hope you know we never judged you for wanting to make things work with Alison,” the statement catches the other brunette off-guard. “You know, after we all found out about the situation.”

“I know,” Emily says without giving it a second thought. “I think I would’ve reacted the same way. I’m not sure I would’ve understood the situation as well as you guys did, so thank you,” she gives the girl a grin.

After her words are in the air, Emily swallows hard when her own thoughts creep into her mind, suddenly wanting to confide in Spencer because the girl’s attentiveness has always been her strong-suit, and, right now, it’s  _ really  _ needed.

“We’re going to her next ultrasound together.”

“Really?” Spencer beams, happy for her ━ for  _ them _ .

“Yeah,” the reaction is matched but quickly falters, leaving the happiness to remain in the air but without the matched confidence. 

Spencer picks up on it, noting how the light in Emily’s features dims in a way that signifies anxiousness and questions upon questions; she can hear the girl’s thinking from where she stands, and, to a degree, it’s concerning. 

“You’re nervous, aren’t you?”

Emily can’t even scratch to deny it, only going wide-eyed while staring at the floor between them until she’s taking a breath and walking over to the couch so she can sit down, almost like she just ran smack into a wall of realization. 

Spencer, at the response, moves closer so she’s in the girl’s line of sight, leaning against the back of a nearby chair as the other brunette is perched on the very edge of her cushion, knees tapped together with her elbows digging into her upper thighs, hands covering her mouth in severe thought. 

“Why?” following the quietness, Spencer’s first question is simple, not judgmental but airy. 

“I don’t know,” she’s honest, having a few ideas but no solid proof of any one of them. “I think I feel like this is taking a big step in our relationship. It’s nice, and I want it to happen, but…”

“New things are scary, especially when they’re life-changing,” her insight never fails, Emily nodding.

“It’s just an appointment, you know?” shaky, brown eyes peer up to look at Spencer, darting away soon afterwards. “We’re going to get in there, and we’ll see the start of a little human on the screen, and… then we’ll go back to her apartment like usual, but I feel like it’ll be different,” a deep breath is taken, looking at the floor in vulnerability. “ _ I’m _ ready for that different, but what if she’s not?”

“Don’t you think she should be the judge of that?” Spencer gets Emily to look at her, but the girl turns away when she knows there’s a valid point to the question. “If she invited you, I’m sure she’s ready. She’s probably just as scared, but ready, nonetheless.”

No reply is given, Emily letting her advice sink in little by little. It brings up another point, however, and her words branch off from the topic by inviting a new one with brutal honesty that, before now, she hadn’t owned up to ━ not out loud, at least. 

“I want to be in this kid’s life, Spence,” she looks up, voice unwavering. “No matter what.”

Spencer nods, understanding.

“I also want to be in  _ Ali’s  _ life. I want…” her head bows, the next smile to appear ready to collapse at any second because it’s so,  _ so  _ exposed and the situation is unbelievably  _ new _ . 

Emily continues, recalling, “She wants it, too, or she at least said she’d like it if I helped give this child a good life, by her side, but I don’t know how she meant it. I’m not sure if she wants me around more so for the baby’s benefit, or because  _ she  _ wants a future…” 

Again, she ducks her head, rubbing her hand against her mouth while she thinks of more to say, and Spencer pays attention to her body language. 

“It’s nerve-wracking,” Emily’s voice cracks. “I always claimed how content I was on my own, and I meant it, but now all I want is to stay with her, and make a life with her, with eventual commitments. I feel like an idiot for saying that when it hasn’t been all that long, but I can’t help it,” now, she sounds like she’s pleading, not knowing how to explain herself when the constraints of time bear down on how she looks at things. 

“You’re not an idiot whatsoever, Em,” Spencer assures, not leaving room for any arguments. “Your situation is unique. I don’t think the concept of time is relevant under these circumstances,” a small rant forms, the girl chuckling a tad. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you two ran off and got married tomorrow. Not because you’re having a child together, but because of the connection you two built after finding each other with this insane history. History that you didn’t even know existed between you two until you got deeper.”

Emily’s eyes lower, keeping her mind open even though a frown lies on her face.

“That’s history that matters,” the next thing to come from Spencer sounds like she’s begging Emily to listen, a smile still coming with her words. “That’s  _ blood _ , and genetics, and a process that takes a lot of love and determination, by two people.”

It gets a tiny grin from Emily, but she doesn’t look up.

“And I’m not talking about you and whoever donated the other half of this baby’s DNA. I’m talking about what you went through in order to give Alison the chance to start a family, and how she’s been taking care of this baby inside her despite being left alone by the man she was with before. She’s taking care of your baby. ‘Your’ as in both of you,” finally, Emily glances up, locking eyes with Spencer who raises her eyebrows in an encouraging gesture. “That’s not something you can easily walk away from, especially when you and her, child or not, have such strong feelings for each other.”

Gradually, Emily listens more, her smile reappearing with its former fullness as Spencer finishes her small, friendly lecture and pep-talk. 

“There are no doubts in my mind that you two are going to make some kind of life together, Em. I don’t give a damn how much or how little time has passed since you guys met.”

Seconds pass, and Emily’s smile remains on her face as she evades Spencer's eyes for a while longer. Spencer feels a sense of accomplishment, on the other side of things, and narrows her eyes with a tinge of smugness once Emily finally turns to her with a large amount of gratitude evident in the way she looks at her friend.

“Were you just  _ born  _ giving good advice?” 

Spencer laughs, Emily nodding, more so to herself, before claiming, “Seriously, though. Thank you.”

“Of course,” a curt nod is given, both feeling thankful for each other.

“I need one more piece of advice, actually,” after a very abrupt debate in her mind, Emily sealing her lips with a slight “yikes” face breaking the way she appears, the question is voiced and Spencer hums.

“Hm?”

“Should I tell my parents?”

“Uh, yeah,” she goes wide-eyed, shoulders slumping. “Em, they’re going to be wondering why your girlfriend is pregnant and why, when the time comes, that child looks like you when you were an infant. You can play the ‘coincidence’ game all you want, but you and I both know that you have a guilty conscience, and it’s better if they hear it now rather than later.” 

It evokes a grimace, Emily wanting to groan and lean back against the couch. She stays still, realistically, and tries to figure out how she’ll go about that type of thing because, hell, no matter how accepting her parents are, there will be  _ many  _ questions.

“It’s gotta be done,” Spencer shrugs, giving Emily a look that explains that she can only try to empathize with her emotional pain. “Now, I have work to do.”

“Have fun,” Emily blinks innocently when she earns a glare. 

“Yeah, real fun,” her response is droned, leaving her friend with a teasing “Have fun talking to your parents” before the door is rapidly shut behind her.

The taunt gets a short round of wide eyes from Emily, the brunette forcing a breath, giving herself a nod, and pushing herself off the couch in order to pack a new bag of clothes before going back to see her girlfriend, meanwhile keeping her friend’s wisdom in mind.

 

X X X

 

Her hands systematically rummage through the recently emptied, spacious dresser drawer, figuring out how to arrange her items within the storage area for maximum, clever usage. 

She hums while doing so, body feeling relaxed and overall happy when thinking about how she was notified by Alison, before she traveled back to the girl’s apartment, that she had freed up a drawer in the bedroom for the brunette’s things. It made her feel yet another wave of wholesomeness, knowing that they’re both in this relationship so deeply with no lingering doubts floating about.

Her assumption only proves true when a pair of arms slide around her waist, Alison slightly leaning down and pressing her cheek to the back of Emily’s shoulder while staying like that. The brunette smiles again, also feeling the need to roll her eyes at herself because, yeah, she’s known as a soft, courteous person, but it was never  _ this  _ bad. She supposes it’s a good thing, though, and wouldn’t erase a damn thing about how Alison has changed her; she knows it’s for the better, and her new, evolved persona is something to be proud of ━ especially because it’s clear that she changed the blonde equally as much.

Without stopping her unpacking routine, Emily mutters, “What’d you do while I was gone?” with the same grin, wanting to make light conversation with her girlfriend who contently clings to her back.

“Um,” she thinks, the hum partly vibrating Emily’s shoulder, “I did some work until Aria and CeCe stopped by to check on how I’m doing, and… that’s it, really.”

“Sounds nice,” her short response makes Alison smile with her eyes trailing off to the side of the room, cheek still pressed to the warmth of Emily’s body.

“Yeah, it was,” although the words manage to make it past her lips, she ultimately gets sucked back into her memory, the conversation with her friends being everything other than smooth-sailing and relaxing due to her own self-directed frustration.

It started with the mention of her upcoming, ultrasound appointment, Alison trying to act like it’s not such a big deal while very obviously worrying about it, simultaneously. To her friends, the girl looked like she was ready to break down, her fingers weaving together with her leg bouncing constantly, and, when asked if she’s okay for the third time in one visit, Alison finally stood up and began to pace.

Quickly, her makeshift, calm attitude peeled back until a layer of frantic nervousness was exposed, the girl nearly mindlessly talking to herself while forgetting that her friends were right there ━ totally ignoring the two pairs of worried, wide eyes that watched her every move without blinking. 

_ “What am I supposed to do when the baby’s actually born and they’re grown enough to talk? What are they going to call Emily? What are they going to call  _ me _? If Emily and I are still together, would it be too forward to let them call her their other parent?” suddenly, her feet stop and she stares at her friends, giving them a look. “Is that too straightforward?” _

_ “Ali, you need to calm the hell down,” CeCe is blunt, voice cautious but also monotonous with slight warning. _

_ Aria’s mouth only hangs open, periodically blinking without contributing much ━ if anything ━ to the topic. Alison notices how spooked she looks ━ how scared  _ both  _ of her friends look ━ and starts to wring her fingers with a partial grimace, feeling guilty for unloading so much on them, at once. _

_ “Sorry, was I that bad?” her eyes drift between both girls, Aria very slowly nodding with frightened eyes. “I’m just so━” _

_ “Love-drunk? Committed?” the other blonde finishes the sentence for her, displaying options that, truly, aren’t that far off from the realistic answer. _

_ At the terms, Alison’s lips part and she looks away, evening out her breathing while Aria finally gets a grasp on some words of her own, forcing herself into being strong because, clearly, the blonde standing in front of them isn’t going to survive so many conflicting feelings, on her own, two feet. _

_ “You can be honest with us,” Aria gently coaxes. “It won’t leave this room.” _

_ Alison all but deflates at the security, lips sealed tightly with her forehead somewhat creased; she visibly appears as though she wants to spill what’s on her mind, trusting her two friends, but there’s still some nervousness that they’ll perhaps judge whatever she says. The hesitation clenches her throat, Alison swallowing hard, taking a breath, and closing her eyes a form of self-soothing before evading their attentive stares and voicing her concerns. _

_ “Is it too soon?” _

_ The question gets a head shake from Aria, and a verbal opinion from CeCe. _

_ “You feel what you feel,” her shoulders tighten before slumping, “as long as you’re not just feeling it because you’re carrying a part of her.” _

_ The other blonde nods, features dropping as she gets out a soft, dumbfounded and admittedly smitten laugh. _

_ “I feel it because she makes me feel it,” her lips rub together, head bowing. “I guess, yeah, knowing there’s a part of her that’s super close to me… it does draw me towards her a little more, but I really started falling for her when we first sat down at her apartment and actually spoke.” _

_ Alison’s eyes narrow, recalling everything she felt in that pinpointed moment. _

_ “There was something about her that I couldn’t put my finger on, like a certain familiarity, and I told you that, right when it happened,” she looks at CeCe, the other girl nodding in remembrance, “but I ultimately started liking her because of how she treated me and listened. Like a person. She made me feel wanted, and still does,” at her own admission, her gaze trails off to the side of the room, overly vulnerable.  _

_ “So,” after the short bit of silence wafts through the air, CeCe’s voice deepens to pry, “as I was saying… love-drunk, committed…” _

_ “I want a life with her,” the confession is so abrupt that Alison surprises herself, though her friends only smile. “That’s what I wanted with Elliott, and I remember so-clearly picturing all these domestic things, like… a family, a nice, cliché house, barbeques in the backyard with kids running around,” her imagination makes her zone out, grinning partly.  _

_ She licks her bottom lip, finishing quietly, “Now, I think back on it, and maybe I didn’t want those things with him, specifically. I never pictured him there. I was never able to imagine a life with him, directly, and I only dreamt of things surrounding a life which I thought he’d give me. I didn’t love him. At least, now I don’t think I did.” _

_ Her gradual self-assessing makes her friends get hit with a wave of relief, mainly because of how they always thought these things about the blonde’s relationship with Elliott, however were never able to help her see the reality of how things were and what she felt. After all, CeCe’s words from weeks ago hold true, in every aspect, telling Alison that they know what’s going through her mind and what she’s feeling, but, in the end, they aren’t  _ her _ , and can’t make decisions for her. _

_ With no one jumping to answer, Alison continues, eyes unblinking as she stares away from them. _

_ “I think, really, I loved the thought of a stupid, suburban life with…  _ someone _. The concept of it.” _

_ “And that someone is Emily,” finally, Aria fills in the blank, tone always kind and insightful. _

_ “I hope so,” with a shrug, she can feel her throat shaking with the drive to stop her from speaking the truth. “I practically spilt my guts to her, days ago. I told her about my parents, and why I want to make a family so badly, and…  _ everything _ , but I didn’t mention that I want one with her, specifically. I couldn’t,” she takes a heavy breath, eyes widening before going back to normal. “But, as far as I’m concerned, she’s already part of my family, or the family I want to start.” _

_ Aria beams, and Alison catches wind of the expression on the girl’s face, so her cheeks slowly turn upward in a way that makes her feel like she just owned up to something that was weighing down her chest for weeks. CeCe, on the other hand, laughs incredulously, happy for her friend but anxious to finally see these two come together with honesty and flat-out confessions that have been so tightly harbored since they first found out about the baby’s true, genetic identity. _

_ “Tell her,” with a whine, CeCe begs. “Please, for the love of God━” _

With the soft knock of Emily’s drawer closing and the brunette turning within the confines of her girlfriend’s now-loosened arms, Alison is broken out of her memories, her face almost falling when she’s torn from the decisive nature of how she spoke when her friends were over ━ like she lost that flame of confidence even though the girl in front of her smiles warmingly.

“So,” Emily undoes Alison’s hands from her hips, taking one and bringing the blonde over to the bed so they can sit on the edge, “I’ve been thinking.”

Those three words derail Alison’s courage even more than before, the girl’s face completely faltering, this time, with a dreadful yet tiny “Oh” coming from her lips. 

It receives a giggle, Emily finding her nervousness cute and, honestly, comforting since her own uneasy attitude and timidity is pretty much mirrored, step by step.

“It’s not a bad thing,” she reassures, holding her hand with a tight grip lasting a few seconds before their fingers are delicately entwining. “Not in my opinion, at least.”

Alison breathes out, mustering up a shaky grin that doesn’t quite reach her eyes because the concept of having a “talk” always plucks at her nerves, forcefully peeling away the hard shell she uses to protect herself, day in and day out.

“Okay…”

“I want to tell my parents,” not even a millisecond passes after Alison’s lone-word answer is heard, Emily wanting to push herself into getting this over with because, ever since she left her own apartment with Spencer’s wisdom in mind, she’s been riding that wave of bravery with a driven sparkle in her eye.

“Tell them…?” it’s not judgmental or any tone that would make Emily feel stupid, genuinely confused with a tilted head and kind features, the two sitting closely. 

“About you and the baby,” matched with the response is a solid nod, silently telling Alison she’s already made up her mind ━ as long as it’s okay.

“What about us?” blue eyes appear fragile yet open to the idea without hearing the brunette’s full explanation, Emily rubbing her lips together while her gaze drifts to the wall in front of them.

“Well, first I want to tell them about the pregnancy because,  _ honestly _ , they’re bound to wonder  _ why  _ you’re pregnant since, you know, I can’t necessarily get you pregnant,” although her ramble, on the face of it, makes sense, Alison flashes her an amused expression that’s also a bit uneasy-looking, disagreeing for obvious reasons.

Emily catches the face she’s making, Alison’s eyebrows raised with a matching, “uh, sure” kind of contradicting grin, the brunette’s chin lifting before it drops with a low, realizing “Right…” as her jaw tightens.

Nevertheless, she shakes her head and continues, “And, actually, that’s the  _ second  _ thing I want to tell them.”

Again, Alison doesn’t steer away, nor does she look like the concept of having the girl’s parents in the loop is a negative thing, but her eyes squint while she looks at Emily through the close proximity, her gaze accidentally floating down to her girlfriend’s lips, a time or two.

“What are you going to say?”

“They knew about me being a donor,” Emily starts while facing the front of the room again, tilting her head back and forth as if the plan is still being drawn out. “We didn’t agree at first, but they came around, and supported my decision. I’ll just tell them the truth,” turning her head, she stares at Alison once more. “We didn’t really know this crazy information until after we…  _ connected _ . At least, I like to believe we connected  _ beforehand _ .” 

The blonde notes the shaky laugh that ends Emily’s miniature rant, feeling the girl’s fingers twitch against hers in a way that displays unknowingness on the topic. To put her at ease, Alison smiles big, leaning in to kiss her on the cheek with a reassuring “We did.”

Following it up, Alison opens her heart just as much, whispering, “I don’t know about you, but I felt something when we first hung out.”

Emily takes a breath, her exhale coming out through a small laugh and a head nod that agrees with her statement. 

Alison, not wanting to hold herself back from kissing her girlfriend any longer, leans in until Emily does the same, their lips pressing together for two, solid seconds before they break apart to continue their conversation. 

“You can tell them,” with the response, the blonde also sighs. “I won’t lie and say I’m not nervous about their reactions, but they’re your parents. I think they deserve to know. So do mine, in due time,” she gives Emily a shrug, afterwards looking away with a newfound, mild fearfulness. “I just… I don’t want your mom and dad thinking we’re together solely because of the baby.”

“I’ll make sure they don’t think that, Ali,” she holds the other girl’s hand tighter. “They already know how much you mean to me. Everyone does,” it comes out without being fully thought of, afterwards evading Alison’s eyes with parted lips until they’re sealed with her head bowing, acting like she’s trying to scurry away without moving.

A small laugh also comes forward, sounding similar to a chuckle a person would give themself for saying something completely idiotic.

Alison shifts on the bed when she witnesses the reaction ━ not to mention the confession that sounded far deeper than words could convey ━ and her curiosity spikes, suddenly feeling a pressure in her chest that makes her heart beat faster because the atmosphere seems like it’s taken a thicker, slower turn. She looks at Emily, watching the girl attempt to run away and hide without displaying further ability to evacuate the forming spotlight on what she said, and Alison keeps her locked into the inadvertent conversation with a vicegrip.

“Do  _ I  _ know how much I mean to you?” she chooses to ask, and Emily detects the trick question hidden within, but something pushes her to answer honestly because of the way blue eyes bore into her temple, all but silently pleading with her to spill each and every emotion she’s ever felt when they’re together.

When Emily finally looks at Alison, brown eyes carefully study her features while her jaw shifts, and she whispers, “No,” with complete seriousness that lacks any mystery.

It stuns Alison for a brief moment, waiting a few seconds before asking, “Will you tell me?” with an almost-inaudible tone that matches her girlfriend’s. 

No response; Emily only stares at Alison, and, at the silence, the blonde wonders if the other girl fell into a pit of her own thoughts.

“How much do I mean to you?” she gently pries, hoping to bring Emily back to the situation. 

Thankfully, she sees Emily blink, her eyelashes fluttering without being deterred from the eye contact that practically, in a way, binds them together. 

Alison wears her most inviting expression, making sure to appear lacking sharp features that could potentially scare Emily out of confessing as to what’s on the tip of her tongue. In the meantime, she also drags her thumb across the brunette’s, comforting her in whatever way she can while she assesses the struggle that takes place behind brown eyes ━ until, finally, she takes a leap.

“You mean the world to me,” Emily mutters, voice unwavering. “You really do,” the second part of her statement comes out through done-for eyes ━ like she has no idea why she kept the information to herself for so long. 

It’s given a grin, but her explanation is still cryptic, so Alison digs for something more, tearing down Emily’s walls little by little.

“How much is the world worth?”

She seals her lips, again breathing and muttering, “Everything.”

At the term, Alison looks at her, a faint smile now stashed behind her eyes, and Emily feels her throat tightening up even more, but her mouth opens when the blonde, without a large amount of thought, claims, “I’m so grateful to have you.” 

Her smile turns into something that would be accompanied by watery eyes, Alison’s tone exasperated in a way that explains how powerful she feels.

Emily goes to answer with a smile of her own, something to ease her girlfriend’s oncoming sentiment, but she doesn’t get the chance when Alison capitalizes on her own admission by saying, “Please stay in my life,” with a voice that’s hardly able to make it out of her clenched throat.

“Always,” she whispers, shifting a bit closer with Alison’s other hand covering their tangled fingers.

Their bodies slightly turn toward one another, more so on Alison’s account, and Emily can tell there’s more that the girl wants to say by how her mouth opens and closes, eyes struggling. Their fingers entwine more than before, formerly loose enough to shift, and Alison laughs at how nervous she is, biting her lower lip before looking at Emily again.

She sees the stranger she first met at the pharmacy, but not in an unknowing light. Throughout the weeks they’ve known each other, Emily has remained the same ━ that sweet-smelling stranger with the warmest, brown eyes ━ and she’s become a cozy example of home in the form of a person. Before they met, Alison never knew that she hadn’t stumbled upon that kind of connection before, and what she now has with Emily is new, and vital, and life-changing, and… lovable.

Alison swallows hard, an emotion-consumed smile curving her mouth, and, after a minute of being stuck in her own, unrelenting thoughts, she manages to share with Emily what’s been on her mind for weeks.

“I love you.”

Automatically, Emily’s eyes light up, for whatever reason feeling taken-aback at those three words even though she’s been sharing the emotion from the very beginning (or so it feels), and her mouth mimics Alison’s expression.

“Really?” she internally wants to smack herself for the wonder, but Alison’s following giggle is worth it.

“Really,” it’s basically exhaled.

Emily can’t help herself, leaning in to kiss Alison with a smile disrupting the peck before it even begins, and she can feel the blonde relax into the short embrace. They depart, Emily pulling away with intent to contribute to the way her girlfriend just put her heart out on a silver platter, and, after seconds of drumming up a slight wave of anticipation, she finds her voice.

“I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s about damn time.
> 
> No, but seriously: finally. I think they expressed their love quite a few times in this chapter, even if it (initially) wasn’t direct. Alison, on one hand, confides in her friends about Emily and how Emily is part of her family, no matter what. This is coming from the girl who didn’t know if she’d be able to accept Emily’s adoration after they found out about the baby’s identity. She even basically hinted that she’d have the child call Emily their other parent. She’s evolved, quite frankly, and so has Emily. We see Emily talking to Spencer about how she wants to stay in both Alison and the baby’s lives, again, no matter what, and how she used to say how content she is although, nowadays, she can’t see herself anywhere else.
> 
> Then, another time, Emily pushes herself to take a risk by silently deciding that she has to talk to her parents about what’s going on, and that’s another form of Emily admitting how she loves Alison; Alison’s words from a chapter ago are true as hell, and they hold to those standards within this update: “You must be serious about me.” Emily is very serious about the life she wants to lead, and how Alison is family, even if they haven’t owned up to it yet. We just took a huge step, nonetheless.
> 
> To me, Alison’s line, “I just… I don’t want your mom and dad thinking we’re together solely because of the baby,” makes it sound like she knows (actually, she’s known for a while, let’s be real) that Emily is with her for reasons between the two of them, despite the child, and now she’s more worried about what Emily’s parents will think because, really, she does respect them and their opinions. ━ We’ll see the conversation between Emily and her parents very, very soon, and I’ll tell you now that Alison won’t join her for the trip, but it’s somewhat explained as to why.
> 
> For the conversation that Emily had with Spencer… I think that was the right character (Spencer, I mean) for the conversation, and I say that because Spencer holds so much wisdom in the form of opinions AND facts, so it’s always like getting acceptance from someone who has so much knowledge. The nudge she gives Emily is important because she said a lot of shit that she needed to hear, like the idea that Emily and Alison have so much history, no matter if they’ve been in each other’s life, knowingly, for only months. In a way, Emily needed that smack in the face.
> 
> I suppose it’s super clear that Emily and Alison want to take some big steps together but they’re both afraid of taking that leap in fear that the other doesn’t want it, mutually. I think that’s valid. I mean, come on, they built the beginning of their relationship on the fact that it’s a normal relationship, but now it seems they’re moving so fast together that they’re like, “Okay, wait, but this isn’t a normal relationship.” It’s just a matter of voicing that, which neither want to do.
> 
> Anywho, that ultrasound appointment is approaching and it’s sounding a lot like the Jaws theme song, isn’t it? We have that to look forward to, in addition to a bunch of other stuff that I’ve mentioned in a previous author’s note. Still with me on this journey? Good, and thank you.
> 
>  
> 
> Really, thank you.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayo!
> 
> You guys… you just… keep on bein' sweet. Never change, okay? You're all wonderful sunflowers, and you're super adorable, and great, and positive. Thank you for your niceness within my recent reviews and comments. Really.
> 
> So (and this is going to be random & lengthy), I've recently been asked by quite a few people about what I'm watching nowadays, and my answer has been the same for a bit: the usual (Supergirl, Riverdale, Shannara, The Bold Type). However! I recently (two days ago, technically) watched a recommended show on my Netflix home page, and I'm hooked. It's called "Dark," and it's originally a German show (therefore, on my personal Netflix, there's an English voice-overlay), and it's just really, really good. It's not something I'd normally rave about, mostly because the tone is a bit darker ━ like a cross between crime, mystery, horror, thriller, and sci-fi ━ but I know the TV-world and/or programming-world is running thin with good content, as of late, so I figured I'd give y'all a recommendation. Without spoiling much, it's about a small, German town where children go missing, but it's not your average "who dunnit?" type of crime show. Basically (if you watch the trailers), the central topic of the show is the concept of time (past, present, future), and it brings something pretty damn new to the table. I suggest you look it up!
> 
> Now that I'm done with my new-show plug, we can continue with the story.

“So, like, not to be blunt, but… is that kid just as stubborn as Emily is?”

If she hadn’t finished eating her breakfast ten minutes prior to what Hanna just came out with, Emily’s fork would’ve dropped to her plate, but she’s only left going wide-eyed with lips parting, forehead somehow creasing to create the epitomic face of disbelief. It’s followed up by turning to Alison who sits beside her, silently trying to apologize, but her girlfriend isn’t facing her at the moment, and is instead laughing at Hanna ━ albeit part of her amusement is due to the way the brunette reacted within mere milliseconds of the question being spilt. Mona, behind Hanna, even has her mouth agape, the corners of her lips somewhat turned upward in an “oh my God” kind of dark entertainment, but that’s more so resulting from the knowledge of how irritated Emily is bound to become.

After the group ━ lacking Emily ━ passes through the wall of hysterics, Alison rubs her lips together and begins to squint with a curt humming noise coming from her throat, looking toward the hung-up menu on the wall behind the diner’s counter.

“I’ve gotten way more morning sickness than I planned for,” she gives the other blonde some information to chew on, Emily’s mouth falling into a straight line as Hanna snickers.

“That’s a yes.”

“I genuinely cannot believe you asked that,” Mona comes up next to Hanna, “and I really won’t be surprised if Em kills you and uses your body as a Halloween decoration.”

“That’s a little dark,” her coworker tuts, judgment strew throughout her narrowed eyes. “Besides,  _ someone  _ had to ask it.”

Her defense makes it sound obvious, being so matter-of-factly that Emily brings her left hand to her forehead and presses two fingers just above the bridge of her nose as if she’s getting a headache. She glances at Alison through a focus that wants to hide, afraid of seeing the blonde showing any signs of awkwardness or evidence that this is too much for her to handle, but all she catches sight of is her girlfriend giving her a comforting smile and a head tilt, silently asking if  _ she’s _ okay.

Emily smiles in return, mirroring Alison’s expression before the sentiment grows to be too much for the blonde to deal with in front of other people, and her cheeks turn rosy before she listens to the banter being tossed back and forth between the two diner managers in front of them. 

Meanwhile, the brunette loses herself to her raging thoughts, mainly revolving around this breakfast trip since, quite frankly, she’s trying to distract herself from every other imagined scenario regarding the impending visit to her parents’ house.

Their first steps into the diner were an experience, not even a minute into their breakfast “date” ━ not that Emily would truly call it that, seeing as though she knew she’d be bumping into her friends there ━ when Hanna came out of the back room with a beaming smile and an exaggerated, underlying jab at the brunette when she all but yelled,  _ “What a lovely surprise!” _

At the time, she looked around the establishment to make sure they weren’t automatically put on the spot with Hanna’s deafening comment, but her focus landed back on the two blondes who, before she could really blink, were hugging. Her eyebrows furrowed at the sight, not wanting Hanna to be overly friendly in a way that scared Alison off, but her girlfriend didn’t seem to mind, accepting the hug with opened arms ━  _ literally _ . Nevertheless, Emily stood there, motionless with a confused frown curving her mouth downward, and her brown eyes glanced past Hanna to see Mona coming out of the back room, shaking her head.

_ “Just let her have her fun,”  _ Emily saw the girl mouth from where she stood, the two sharing an eye-roll.

They didn’t take too long to sit down, Emily ushering Alison over to the front counter with ━ like always ━ no one else occupying the stools. Hanna and Mona followed suit, squeezing behind the bar-like surface with smiles, eager to assess the couple they hadn’t been able to study prior to the visit. Emily felt like she was under a microscope, though Alison didn’t seem to mind, and cleared her throat so they’d at least stop making it so obvious. 

_ “You’re lucky she was craving waffles,”  _ to break the silence, Emily nodded her head in Alison’s direction, the blonde smiling happily. _ “Otherwise, I would’ve put off this visit a little longer,”  _ the second part was muttered, ducking her head inconspicuously as Hanna frowned and Mona snickered as if that would really stop them from fully meeting Alison.

_ “And  _ we  _ would’ve kidnapped her, eventually. With or  _ without  _ your consent.” _

“Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I am  _ very  _ excited for Thanksgiving,” Hanna places her palms flat on the counter’s surface, putting on her best tone of seriousness. “I’ve been given the duty of bringing a pie.” 

“ _ Ooh _ , what kind of pie?” Mona gets a childish glint in her eye, opposing Emily who, once knocked out of her thoughts, arches an eyebrow in skepticism.

“And don’t you suck at baking?”

“I  _ do _ ,” the girl says as she keeps on a big smile, soon flattening her attitude, “but Caleb doesn’t, so he’s making it. I assume apple, but I have no idea.”

“Are we in charge of bringing anything?” Alison turns to her girlfriend, Emily squinting one eye with pursed lips.

“I wasn’t told that we have to,” she retorts. “Ask Aria.”

“Why didn’t I think of that?” her response comes with a small laugh, shaking her head. “I’ll call her when I get home.”

“Yeah, and I should probably… go,” it ends with a deep, anxious sigh, Emily psyching herself up for the visit to her parents’ house.

“Okay,” although Alison wants to tell her that she shouldn’t force herself into doing anything she’s not prepared for yet, she’s aware that, first and foremost, it’s Emily decision, and maybe it’s better to get it over with now rather than later.

It makes her wonder if it’s time to tell her own parents about the baby’s identity, or if she should wait, but overall understands that her relationship with her parents isn’t the least bit complete in comparison to Emily’s; after everything with her childhood, it was hard to recreate a sturdy bond with them, as a “happy” couple, so Alison gave up trying in the least saddened light. It’s better this way, she muses, and she’s perfectly fine with only occasionally meeting up with them to discuss what’s been happening. They all care for one another ━ Jason, included ━ and that’s all she can really hope for.

Emily’s barstool scrapes along the floor as she backs up, leaving the waitress’ money on the counter with a corner tucked underneath her empty juice cup, and Alison eyes the payment and tip before throwing a deadpanned, “really?” expression in her girlfriend’s direction.

“Don’t look at me like that,” the brunette begins to giggle. “They give me a discount, anyway.”

Alison rolls her eyes, lingering a few feet away as she and Mona stand off to the side of the diner’s entrance, Emily snatching her phone from the counter and briefly looking up to see Hanna giving her a lone-finger, “I’ll be there in a minute” gesture, the brunette nodding with her friend disappearing behind a set of double doors. 

_ “Can I talk to you for a minute?” Emily directs at Hanna with a newfound cautiousness to the way she speaks with her voice lying low, her feet prematurely ready to take her away from the barstool as they hang off to the side. _

_ “Um, sure,” the girl frowns due to the randomness of the request, using her thumb to gesture at the back room behind the counter. _

_ Alison doesn’t seem too concerned, giving her girlfriend a cute hum once she’s notified that the brunette will be right back. Mona stands across from where Alison sits with warm food set on her plate, the blonde happily eating and making light chitchat with Emily’s friend. _

_ “Don’t worry, I’ll keep Ali company,” Mona beams at Emily just before she exits the room, the brunette in mention making a dramatically nervous face that Alison snickers at. _

_ Within seconds, Emily is disappearing behind the door, following Hanna into the space as the blonde stands a good amount of feet away from the girl who asked to talk to her. She masks herself with a mild concern, frowning ever-so-slightly with Emily appearing cautious yet ready to explain what’s on her mind. _

_ “What’s going on?” Hanna breaks the oncoming silence, and Emily immediately opens her mouth to answer until she’s cut off when the blonde continues, “And, may I just say… I’ve never seen you so bubbly. I kinda like it,” she muses. “You know, in a new way.” _

_ Emily deadpans at the idea of being overrun by Hanna when she’s trying to explain herself with the little amount of courage she’s been holding onto by a thread. _

_ “Are you done?” her tone is flattened, Hanna lightly sighing. _

_ “For now.” _

_ She rolls her eyes at Hanna’s unrelenting persona, taking a breath and choosing to voice her internal ramblings, “I know it’s short notice, and you’re working, but can you drive me to my parents’, after this?” _

_ It earns a quizzical frown from Hanna, “Didn’t you drive here?” _

_ “Yeah, but Ali’s gonna take my car back to her apartment. I just need you to visit my parents with me…” the dragged-out plan is ended with Emily worrying at the corner of her lower lip, nipping it with two teeth. _

_ “Uh, are you suddenly afraid of being alone with them?” at the strange demeanor, Hanna picks up on her friend’s nervousness, her eyes narrowing with an interested yet confused grin plastered across her mouth. _

_ “Well, no, not  _ afraid _ , but… I want to tell them about Alison.” _

_ Her interest piques even more, also coming off somewhat surprised with her posture stiffening where she stands across from Emily, double-checking, “Like, the baby stuff?” _

_ “Yeah,” she assesses her surroundings in an attempt to distract herself, arms crossing in front of her chest, “I’m just… I feel like I’ll need someone there.” _

_ “And you don’t want to take Ali?” the question isn’t judgmental, more so asked with Hanna making sure she understands fully, and, in a way, prying to see why Emily doesn’t want to take her girlfriend. _

_ “I don’t want to risk it, you know?” Emily picks up on her unasked, underlying wonder. “What if they, for whatever reason, say something that’s taken the wrong way? I know they’d eventually be fine, but I don’t know how they’ll initially react.” _

_ “Yeah, your mom can sometimes be the human version of Russian roulette,” Hanna mumbles with raised eyebrows, her voice turning silly and exaggerated, afterwards. “God bless Pam Fields,” her addition comes with a stiff nod, and Emily laughs. _

_ Once their short round of laughter dies down, Hanna begins to nod, Emily noticing and giving her a smile. _

_ “I’ll definitely come, Em,” she eases her worries, speaking kindly. “You know I’m always there, whenever you need me.” _

_ With an accepting, still-kinda-nervous smile, Emily goes to respond with an inevitable, thankful comment, or perhaps she’s bound to tell Hanna that she owes her one, but, before she can get a word in edgewise, Hanna puts on her cheekiest, most-exaggerated smile with childish, narrowed eyes, speaking through something that resembles pride. _

_ “Your own, personal Kim Possible, if you’d be so kind to address me as such, from now on━” _

_ “ _ And _ we're done here.” _

She shakes her head, blinking hard and forcing herself away from the counter once Hanna exits the back room, Mona approaching her co-manager with hushed tones.

Alison remains looking around the room while standing near the front entrance, eyes lighting up when she sees Emily finally approaching with an evident timidity in her stiff body language.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come?” blue eyes display sheer sympathy, Alison’s head tilting just barely with the simplest grin on her face. “If you really want me to, I don’t mind.”

“I won’t put you through that,” Emily shakes her head at the idea, sucking in a deep breath. “I mean, I don’t think they’ll react badly. My parents are already pretty fond of you, and, honestly, they’re not hard-asses, but my mom is a little… pessimistic. Sometimes, at least.”

The girl in front of her nods in understanding.

“I am taking Hanna, though,” the information comes quick, almost like Emily wanted to squeeze it into the conversation with a random spurt of energy, hoping Alison isn’t angry or vaguely upset. “Is that okay?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” she wants to snort at the question, but her forehead only creases in confusion with the same, diluted smile making her look plain lost by the implication.

“Because… I don’t know,” so much for whatever theory Emily had going. “I don’t want you to think I’m not thankful for your offer and support, yet accepting of hers.” 

Her recovery-explanation comes sooner rather than later, Alison putting two and two together with a short-lived nod and a growing, comforting smile that’s also holding a tiny pout behind her eyes, never wanting her girlfriend to think that she’s not allowed to be coddled or cared for by other people.

“I wouldn’t think that,” Alison shakes her head while not wasting time to take Emily’s hands, somewhat swaying them between their bodies. “Wasn’t Hanna with you when you got the procedure done at the clinic?”

She gets an affirmative hum.

“So, she knows what went on and what you’ve gone through. She’s a constant and permanent form of moral support. You need that, and I understand.”

It earns a bright smile, Emily’s eyes all but sparkling at her words. Alison matches it instantly, feeling like the room around them has faded off into the distance as if they’re the only two in the diner. The atmosphere also feels warm, but Alison muses that it’s probably a result of them standing in a patch of sunlight streaming through the window, two feet to the door’s left-hand side. 

“Thank you,” an additional, three seconds pass before Emily whispers with such a tiny voice that Alison almost misses it. “I love you.”

In a cheesy embrace, Alison grants her a peck on the mouth, smiling heavily and muttering, “I love you too,  _ baby, _ ” with a cooed emphasis on the word, lips pursed.

Somewhere behind the counter, Hanna and Mona outright eavesdrop on the conversation, neither wanting to interrupt the couple, and giant, invasive smiles linger to tint their expressions with a great amount of deviousness. They almost manage to stay un-caught by Emily and Alison who aren’t paying an ounce of attention to them, also, but, as Hanna leans too far forward on the counter, her thumb mishits a hard, plastic plate before it flips and goes crashing to the floor. 

There’s a loud, hollow sound, followed by the softer-growing noise of the plate spinning on its bottom, and the pair standing by the door turn around, on cue, to stare at Hanna and Mona who now wear red-handed, uneasy faces ━ though side-eyes from the dark-haired girl are also shot in her co-manager’s direction.

“Sorry.”

Emily rolls her eyes at the half-assed apology, but Alison regains her attention with a flirtatious “I’ll see you later?”

“Yeah,” she can only muster the lone word, her girlfriend studying her almost-tangible nervousness before getting up on the tips of her toes to kiss Emily near her temple.

“You’ll be okay.”

“I know,” her clear conviction is admired by Alison who pulls away after rubbing her fingers along Emily’s shoulder for a few more seconds.

The brunette watches her girlfriend exit the diner and walk by the front windows, car keys twirling along her fingers in that of a makeshift rhythm, and brown eyes follow her until she’s out of sight.

Turning around with a sigh, she nearly chokes on her own breath when Hanna is standing practically on top of her with a prodding, too-smug grin and an eased-forward head.

“Ready yet?” Hanna questions, acting like she’s been waiting around for hours when, in reality, her amusement has been at an all-time high, zoned in on her friend’s relationship like a vulture.

Again, Emily rolls her eyes, but ultimately walks away from Hanna with a growing smile on her face.

She’s followed out of the diner, the two hearing the tail-end of Mona’s “Have fun!” that’s everything but genuine ━ a result of Hanna sharing where she’s going with hushed tones. Emily doesn’t mind, however, and truly would’ve invited Mona, too, if it wasn’t for the fact that someone needs to stay at the diner.

They reach Hanna’s car in no time, Emily waiting for the doors to be unlocked until she’s sliding into the passenger’s seat, buckling, and, within seconds of getting situated, seeing Hanna staring at her like she’s a random citizen who just-so-happened to get into her vehicle, uninvited.

“What?” Emily goes bug-eyed, feeling scrutinized.

Instantly, the girl’s eyes narrow, smile deepening like the Cheshire Cat in a way that’s the least bit comforting, and Emily feels the need to lean toward the door in a small attempt to get away from her friend.

“You  _ love  _ her,” Hanna’s taunt finally spills, middle word dragged out with a sort of comedy that, finally, Emily picks up on ━ albeit she shakes her head via judgement, afterwards looking at Hanna whose expression has lessened enough for her to turn on the car’s ignition.

“Don’t you have anything better to do than listen in on my love life?” the brunette throws back, raising her eyebrows in expectancy, and she thinks she’s won ━ until Hanna turns to her with a taken aback, flattened mouth and widened eyes.

“Not when your love life is happening right in front of me,” her voice is stressed, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “In the diner that  _ I  _ manage, may I add.”

With no idea of how to respond, and in a silent form of being caught with no way out of the argument, Emily ignores her pointed tone, chuckling to herself and looking away from her friend who constantly looks at her with “I’m waiting” eyes.

“Just drive,” the brunette laughs, Hanna making a mocking face and, within seconds, doing exactly that.

 

X X X

 

As her knees are tapped together, Emily leans her elbows into her thighs, toes pressing against the floor as her body language overall displays how on-edge she’s feeling. Across from her, a coffee table between them, her father sits quietly, not giving off any type of vibe while they wait for everyone else to settle in order to “talk” ━ the word the young brunette had used when she first arrived, making Mrs. Fields automatically look uneasy, like she detected the dreadful atmosphere that accompanied her daughter and Hanna who tried keeping a smile on her face.

Currently, Mrs. Fields conjures up an array of drinks in the kitchen ━ two, cold apple ciders and a beer ━ while Hanna leans against the doorway nearby, waiting for this discussion to begin.

The blonde occasionally glances at her nerve-bitten friend, giving her an “it’ll be okay,” comforting smile that doesn’t quite break through Emily’s walls even though it’s mirrored for a split second ━ maybe two, if they’re lucky.

Although, over the course of the ride here, Emily mentally proclaimed that she’d ride her thick wave of makeshift confidence to get everyone through this unthought-of piece of information, the courage took a nosedive once they pulled onto her parents’ street, body language immediately stiffening.

It was great before that, and the brunette wonders where her firm, “this is what’s happening, and it’s happening whether you like it or not” mindset wandered off to, previously feeling content and beyond whilst she was in the car with Hanna. Frankly, for part of the ride’s duration, she was on cloud nine, and it’s all because everything is becoming so much clearer.

_ “What pushed you into making this decision? To tell them, I mean,” the silence is broken with Hanna’s wonder, not necessarily acting awkward about the quietness, but feeling the need to pull Emily from her thoughts so the girl will feel easy-going for at least a while. _

_ “Spencer did,” Emily chuckles, not missing a beat. _

_ “Of course she did.” _

_ They laugh without traces of mocking, simply knowledgeable when it comes to how Spencer operates. It’s certainly admired, however, and their friend has gotten their heads out of their asses in the midst of multiple scenarios that could’ve either ended horribly, or taken too long to be sorted out.  _

_ Emily’s laughter dies down gradually yet quickly, though the light in her eyes remains. _

_ “No, like… I’ve wanted to,” she looks at Hanna who peers into one of her mirrors, paying attention to the road while listening. “For a while, I’ve wanted to tell them because I think it’s important.” _

_ “What was stopping you before?” the girl briefly turns to her. _

_ “I guess maybe… not knowing how serious Ali and I were, and not knowing if she wanted me to stick around,” it comes with her shoulders tightening before slouching, being at a loss for a better reasoning. “I knew I wasn’t necessarily temporary, but I figured, if we didn’t last, and once the baby was born, we’d go our separate ways… like nothing ever happened,” she bows her head, sealing her lips for a split second. “I didn’t think it was worth telling my parents, in that case.” _

_ Hanna nods in understanding. _

_ “I don’t mean to sound like a jerk about it,” Emily mutters, hoping she didn’t come off as such. “I don’t mean that I think Alison would toss me away, ever, because, honestly, she probably has a bigger heart than most people, even  _ me _ , but… I don’t know,” a sigh pauses her thoughts. “I don’t want to call it ‘doubt,’ mostly because I felt more hope and faith about us than anything, but there was always that ‘what if?’ in the back of my mind.” _

_ “What about now?” when the blonde turns to her again, she’s smiling. “What do you feel? _

_ “As cheesy as it sounds,” laughing, Emily leans back in her seat, tilting her chin toward the ceiling, “I feel love. I’m content, and just… fulfilled.” _

_ “Beats the heck outta living life  _ ‘one day at a time,’  _ doesn’t it?” her voice deepens as she mocks her friend’s words from weeks ago, snickering because she can almost see Emily rolling her eyes, out of her peripherals.  _

_ “Alright, _ alright, _ I get it.” _

_ Hanna smirks, “I wanna hear you say it.” _

_ “Say what?” _

_ “That I’m right.” _

_ Emily goes to speak with an amused, sarcastic laugh, but Hanna stops her before she can even begin.  _

_ “And don’t you dare twist my words and try saying _ you’re  _ right because, so help me, I will pull this car over to the side of the road, and━” _

_ “You’re right, Hanna,” she’s cut off, the brunette relenting with an unwavering tone. _

_ It makes her friend offer a sly giggle, one that’s full of contentedness and satisfaction with her tongue bitten between her teeth, and Emily watches Hanna poke around on the car’s built-in computer. Her cell phone’s recent-contacts page is pulled up, the blonde watching the road while occasionally glancing at the screen, and Emily frowns.  _

_ “What are you doing?” _

_ “Calling Mona so I can make you say it again with her as a witness.” _

“Here you go,” Mrs. Fields enters the room with the multitude of drinks, placing one in Hanna’s hand as the blonde beams at the apple cider with a graciousness.

Emily can see her mother’s eyes flickering to her every now and then without sitting down, still placing the lone beer on a coaster in front of Mr. Fields with Emily’s cider finding its own seat on a ceramic, decorative square colored with fall themes.

Once she does sit down, however, the woman doesn’t waste time in getting straight to the point, Emily not having the chance to take a lone sip of her drink before her mouth is tumbling open with a dumbfoundedness being clear.

“Should we be worried?” despite her need to ask, Mrs. Fields’ features already hold the emotion, her guard put up prematurely, just in case there’s something seriously wrong, and Emily internally, sarcastically muses about her mother’s unwavering optimism. 

“I don’t... think so,” when Emily responds, she looks to Hanna who still lingers in the doorway, only feet behind the brunette’s parents who sit together, suddenly everyone looking at her with an underlying, collective question.

On sight, once she takes another sip of her drink, Hanna purses her lips and shakes her head with conviction that’s evident, easing everyone’s worries.

“Okay, then,” Mr. Fields decides that, for this conversation and many others, he’ll be the voice of reason. “What is it?”

It doesn’t take long for her to think about how to start the conversation, having rehearsed how she’ll go about this confrontation repeatedly, on the way into the living room ━ and even over the course of the prior week, after she had sat down with Alison, Spencer’s voice fresh in her mind. 

She simply takes a breath, mouths a simple “Okay” to herself, and clears her throat before looking at her parents as if she’s preparing to give a speech in a public-speaking class. 

“Do you remember when I donated my eggs to the clinic?” she opts to start off with a question, both parents nodding. 

“Of course,” Wayne confirms. “You said it was successful.”

“And it was,” Emily says without, in some gift from above, laughing to herself about the irony of that statement, Hanna’s eyes widening where she stands, “but something happened.”

They don’t seem to move or merely react to what she’s saying, giving her another wave of anxiety mixed with a calmness that’s the least bit comforting. Nevertheless, she continues with a breath, psyching herself up to the task. 

“Before the procedure, I had to get matched with someone who wanted to use my eggs, unless I just wanted to donate them which, if my first pairing changed their mind, I was going to do,” her recollection comes out as a spur-the-moment ramble, slowing herself down in the short pause. “I was successfully matched, though, with someone who chose me, specifically, to be their donor, and I accepted.”

The procedure isn’t all that foreign to her parents, the two giving reactions that tell her to proceed.

“I never had any contact with whoever received them. Not before, during, or after everything. I was only given a card, and, even then, I never got the couple’s names.” 

“Okay…” 

“I found out who I gave my eggs to,” Emily all but blurts out, Hanna paying attention to the whole conversation with an attentiveness and genuine interest ━ also a sense of secondhand pride and firsthand proudness. “I’ve known for weeks now.” 

“Don’t take this the wrong way, sweetie, but why are you telling us this?” Pam questions, forehead creased with a frown on her face. “You seem very nervous about something that, from what you’ve told us, doesn’t really affect you.”

“Because it  _ does  _ affect me,” Emily feels herself empty her lungs in a swift breath, the words tumbling from her mouth in the form of a modest plea, and her parents, when they hear her tone, both fall silent with confused expressions.

“You have our attention,” after five seconds, Mr. Fields raises his chin slightly, staring at her.

Emily swallows hard, mouth opening and closing before admitting, “It affects me because I’m dating the person who I matched with through the clinic.”

“Alison?” it appears that her mom looks shocked before the sentence fully exits Emily’s mouth, voice hoarse and perplexed. 

She doesn’t hesitate to nod, doing it fully with a racing heart and unreadable features. 

Hanna, meanwhile, watches the older couple’s reactions, not thinking that she’ll have to jump in, but preparing herself, either way; for what it’s worth, in her mind, Emily went out of her way to let them know that there’s going to be a major change in her life, whether they accept it or not, and that’s a quality deemed admirable. 

“Well, where’s her partner? You said you were paired with a couple,” opposing his wife’s sudden shock, Mr. Fields chooses his own, valid question. “She wasn’t alone.”

“It’s not my story to tell completely, but…” Emily thinks, sighing, “her ex agreed to start a family before she found out that he wasn’t being faithful. For a  _ while  _ before that, sadly.”

Mrs. Fields looks floored, eyebrows constantly furrowed, “That’s horrible.”

“Yeah, she’s definitely a lot stronger than most people, though,” the younger brunette ducks her head when thinking of her girlfriend’s courage to independently deal with such heavy issues. “She’s been through a lot, but she has a great deal of character.”

Across from her, Wayne smiles with that same, unseen nod being given to Emily and the blonde he had met at the park, adoration being strewn throughout the way he looks at his daughter who, opposing his lightness, continues to appear timid ━ although it’s gradually being pushed aside by sudden, needed boldness. 

“So, where, exactly, do you fit into this equation?” Mr. Fields begins to ask, not deterred from the subject ━ unlike his wife. “If, biologically—”

“Don’t finish that statement, please,” Pam’s uneasiness grows, turning her head just barely to give him scared eyes, and it sparks a short bit of frustration within the pit of Emily’s stomach ━ even if she can vaguely understand their point of view ━ while Hanna’s posture stiffens with a mask of seriousness over her features.

“Look, I know this is a little surprising, and it’s hard to understand. It wasn’t any easier for me when I found out,” Emily admits, eyes begging them ━ her mother, at least ━ to consider that this isn’t a bad thing, “but, before we knew, I was already falling for her, and I didn’t want anything to stop me from letting myself be happy with someone, for once.”

Neither jump to respond, Emily taking a deep breath.

“She took it worse than I did,” her blunt confession falls out when her eyes trail off to the side of the room. “I mean, she didn’t take it in a  _ bad  _ way, but it changed things.”

“As it should,” the older woman pipes up. “This is a huge responsibility, Emily. Even if it wasn’t your—” her mouth opens and closes, not wanting to even relatively hint at the idea of her daughter having a child in any way, shape, or form ━ not yet.

“What makes this any different than if a stranger, a  _ forever  _ stranger, had a baby that was genetically a part of me?” Emily doesn’t stray away from being straightforward, sick of tiptoeing around the fact that, yeah, he or she  _ is  _ a part of her. “Why is it worse that Alison is having a baby that’s biologically mine?” 

“It’s not worse,” contradicting her former tone, Mrs. Fields tries to comfort Emily, voice however remaining strained. “I never used that word. I’m just… I don’t know where to start. You have to let this sink in for me, honey,” she begins to plead. “This isn’t an everyday thing.”

Emily bites her inner cheek, crossing her arms across her stomach and all but sinking into her seat with desire to fade into the cushion. 

“I think… it’s just hard to wrap our heads around because, unlike if a serious  _ stranger  _ had a child who was technically yours, we’re actually going to  _ know  _ that this baby is a part of you, and we’ll probably, I assume, be meeting them when the time comes,” always being level-headed in specific, deep conversations, Wayne explains things from his own point of view ━ and, for the most part, his wife’s ━ albeit walks on eggshells with a slow-paced tone.

“I hope you meet them,” Emily offers in hopes that they’ll accept the request, looking at her parents with childish, convincing eyes.

Pam waits a moment, eyebrows raising as she rubs her hands in a self-distracting motion, and she clasps her fingers together while perching herself on the edge of her seat, Emily watching her every move.

No one speaks for a massive wave of thick silence, almost creating a wall between them while threatening to suffocate Emily, but her mother is the first to smash through it with a newfound, kind and caring demeanor.

“I’m not upset, and I want you to know that,” the woman gives her a tiny grin before it falters, “but, in my eyes, this is almost like… if you, yourself, were to have a baby, and that’s something we never thought would happen after you came out as gay.”

“Mhm,” the man next to her agrees with a solid hum, nodding with unquestionable confirmation.

It makes Emily breathe out with a weird sense of relief, now putting things together a little more cohesively with their not-so-negative responses ━ not to mention her father’s growing smile. 

“If you’re serious about this, about  _ Alison _ , too, then we can’t stop you from taking on this new responsibility. Just like when you went to that clinic,” he gives her lecturing eyes, making sure she’s not second-guessing herself. “ _ I _ know this is different,  _ your mother  _ knows this is different. Do  _ you  _ know this is different?”

“Yeah,” Emily goes wide-eyed, nodding with certainty, “and, even if I didn’t, I’m sure I’ll understand once we go to her ultrasound appointment.”

Hanna smiles from the doorway, ducking her head and sealing her lips.

“So, she’s on board with you being in this child’s life?” Mrs. Fields makes sure, demeanor portraying that of acceptance, no matter how reluctant she  _ wishes  _ she’d be.

“She said she wants me to be.”

They collectively nod, once again, staying in-sync with one another, and their smiles match. Her mother’s, however, is a mixture of reassurance and awkwardness, still getting a grasp on the idea.

“How far along is she?”

“Almost nine weeks,” Emily answers their curiosity with flying colors, never hesitating, and, this time, also remembering the vibrant calendar in the apartment's kitchen, each week’s progression written in a certain block that they check off, on Sunday.

She smiles at the concept’s wholesomeness, but the short-lived, shy happiness falls flat when her mouth opens at her mother’s following question. 

“And do you know what to expect?” now, Mrs. Fields’ prying turns a shade smug, in a way wanting her daughter to know that it’s going to be difficult.

“I’ve been reading,” the girl makes a face, displaying mild confusion but also will to learn ━ the same expression she made when she first picked up a book, Alison walking over to the couch where the brunette sat, and laughing hard when Emily had her head tilted to the side with weirded-out, squinted eyes.

“Make sure you call if you need help with anything,” the offer is put out by Pam within seconds, the two giving each other smiles that are both understanding and respected.

“Thank you,” Emily gains a softness, but her throat clenches again with eyes appearing wary, still having quite a few details rattling throughout her brain without having the strength to━ 

“Is there something else on your mind?” Mr. Fields doesn’t give her room to run away from whatever she’s thinking about. “You still seem a little off.”

“I just…” her mouth opens, biting her lower lip briefly while her eyes drift to the floor, “I want to make sure you know I’m not in this for the baby, and Alison isn’t with me solely for support,” her reasoning is shy, not looking at her parents for longer than a second at a time. “I think what we have is real.”

“It is real,” Hanna speaks up for the first time in minutes, everyone forgetting she’s in the room before her voice came out of nowhere, and all heads turn in her direction. “Alison takes care of Em and keeps her happy, I can promise you that.”

Emily smiles at her friend, getting a reassuring nod before the older couple is facing her again.

“We don’t have any doubts about that,” it comes with a laugh and a genuine smile, Mrs. Fields throwing the comment at her daughter.

“After that day at the park,” Wayne laughs similarly, like the idea is undeniable, “we know there’s something there.”

“I also knew Alison had a glow about her, that day,” Pam turns to her husband with stern, raised eyebrows. “Didn’t I tell you?”

“I’m sorry I didn’t believe you,” he chuckles, amused.

“Yeah, she definitely has that,” Emily grins, almost blushing as the muttered addition to the conversation comes quietly, and Hanna smirks.

“You better take care of her, too, Emily Catherine Fields,” the brunette is stunned and stiffened at the usage of her middle name, Hanna snickering at her flat-out-derailed appearance while Mrs. Fields lectures the girl. “Pregnancy isn’t something to be taken lightly, and you’re  _ technically  _ going to be a parent.”

Her straightforwardness stumps herself, the woman suddenly taking a deep inhale, “That’s going to take some time getting used to.”

“You’re grown up,” Wayne agrees, smiling. “It’s a little fast for my tastes, but… you are. We’ll always be here if you need guidance, though. Remember that.”

“I know,” Emily hopes her words hold a massive amount of thanks, wanting her parents to know how grateful she is for their support, and they return the sentiment by giving her nods and grins of their own. 

Even her mother’s awkwardness, for the time being, has dissipated, and the brunette feels her heart relaxing within the confines of her chest. 

“And what about you, Han?” after clearing his throat, out of nowhere, Wayne turns to Hanna whose eyebrows raise in alert at her name. 

He gives her a smug, taunting yet fatherly smile, “Any surprise pregnancies from you?” and, at Hanna’s wide-eyed and agape-mouthed reaction, Emily can’t stop herself from smiling big and laughing hard, feeling overall content ━ like a weight lifted from her chest as a result of how the visit unfolded, and how her parents are inexplicably accepting of what she hopes is the start to her own, inevitably forming family with Alison. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at that!
> 
> Maybe this visit was more needed than we originally thought, judging by how we now see Emily acknowledging the "family" concept far often, just like Alison is. We're not entirely out of this blurred patch just yet, but looking back, we're coming from a place where they hardly wanted to mention the pregnancy/baby due to fear that they'd fuck up their relationship. It's certainly evolved since then, and the end product (after six more chapters) is beyond worth it, I promise.
> 
> Now, let's talk about the visit. Well, broadly, it could've gone any way, but, like most of the fic, I wanted it to be mainly optimistic. I know Pam wouldn't take it with fully open arms, though, and she'd be super confused because, hey, it's kinda a really confusing topic, but I think she handled it well. Wayne, too. Emily, three. This chapter is another example of Emily growing up; it takes a lot to stand up to your parents, no matter how old, and say, "This is what's happening, and I know it's confusing and a bit bold, but I'm confident in the road I'm taking, and I just wanted you to know because I do respect you." She's taking control of her life, even if her parents were never the hard-bearing types.
> 
> Additionally, I think, even though Pam wishes she was upset, she's also a little… happy? A lot of times, when kids come out as gay, their parents mostly weep over the loss of grandkids (amongst other things), and this is giving her a reprieve, in a way, even though it's a major stunner. Her explanation is beyond valid, and Emily hearing it was sort of like an "Okay, that makes sense" type of deflation; "…in my eyes, this is almost like… if you, yourself, were to have a baby, and that's something we never thought would happen after you came out as gay."
> 
> My personal favorite part of the conversation is when Emily throws a specific question into her parents' faces, mostly because I feel a good amount of us would think the same: "What makes this any different than if a stranger, a forever stranger, had a baby that was genetically a part of me? Why is it worse that Alison is having a baby that's biologically mine?" It raises a few more questions, and it's a big testament to the way people aren't able to initially explain themselves, and I say that because this question primarily derives from Emily assuming that her parents aren't okay with the specific fact that it's Alison having her child.
> 
> I just want to point out the bit of this chapter where Alison wants Emily to have other forms of support and guidance. I feel that, in many relationships, people believe they're only allowed to lean on a certain person (their significant other), and some people also get angry when their girlfriend/boyfriend confides in others. I wanted this to be a healthy relationship due to how understanding they both are, and it's just another nod to their maturity.
> 
> This was an extreme stepping stone, which means that next chapter is going to be a nice breather in the form of Halloween (interesting how we're in the midst of the holiday season, yet celebrating Halloween again!). I'll warn you now: there won't be monumental steps taken in chapter fifteen, as it acts like a drum-up to the following update (I'll spoil you: it's the ultrasound you've been waiting for), but I had a fun time writing up a little, stay-at-home date.
> 
> When I come back to post the new chapter, I'll be finished with the semester, and hopefully I'll be more relaxed. I'll see you soon, buddies.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy, howdy.
> 
> Guess who’s finally finished with school (for the semester)! This guy *double thumb-gesture to self*. Now, I have the chance to regather myself before my final semester at school begins, and more time to finish revising the rest of this fic ━ which, really, is only a few more chapters since I’ve been on a slight roll.
> 
> Anyway, in honor of this update…
> 
> Happy Halloween!

Her cheeks fullen at the sight of orange and reddish-brown colors strewn throughout the apartment, Emily’s decorating hobby and tastes coming out to play whilst Alison is stuck in a face-to-face meeting — or traffic, by now. 

She beams, more so because the blonde’s apartment was, prior to hours ago, barren of Halloween-oriented, plastic pieces of “spooky” ornaments ━ including multiple, differing skulls and a cauldron of synthetic, fall-like floral arrangement parts. Now, it even smells like a hint of cinnamon and apples, not overpowering the air, in the least bit, but being noticeable enough to create the certain warmth that only October can bring about.

In recent days, Emily’s summed-up, holiday enthusiasm has come to the forefront of her mind, taking over her happiness with the desire to let it roam free for at least twenty-four hours. 

It’s essentially become easier to think about entertaining things ever since the visit to her parents’ house over a week ago, and Alison can tell that Emily’s worries have lessened. The blonde even encouraged her girlfriend’s festive personality, displaying an innocent yet hopeful offer over the weekend ━ one which Emily accepted within seconds, causing them to scurry through the door only an hour following. 

_ “I was thinking…”  _ Alison started, seeming nervous to ask even though her features portrayed childishness and knowingness that the other girl would, without a doubt, agree to the plan.  _ “Would you like to go pumpkin picking? I’ve never gone before.” _

She was kissed on the mouth repeatedly ━ nearly enough to make Alison say, “Fuck it,” and drop the whole idea with a drive to bring them over to the couch or bedroom ━ and, for the rest of the day, Emily wore a smile that spoke of absolute contentedness. Her girlfriend felt proud, not only because she had caused the brunette to gain such a sense of happiness, but because they both deserved to feel such a butterfly-ish sensation, and they weren’t trying to push it away.

Although Alison shouldn’t have been so shocked to hear that her girlfriend already knew of a pumpkin patch — mainly because, looking back, Emily’s tendency to let her eyes roam and study the foliage while on walks held no secrets of admiring autumnal settings and “standard” traditions — she giggled when they slid into the car due to the brunette’s immediate, somewhat smug confession:  _ “I know just where to take you.”  _

They were pulling up to an old farm within thirty minutes of leaving the apartment, Alison immediately reaching for the other girl’s hand and taking in the new surroundings. The lot was mostly dirt, everything behind the barn being made up of tall grass or what looked like corn stalks with paths jutting out every now and then, middled by a dusty road squashed by deep-ish tire tracks. Occasional pumpkins sat along the side, mainly larger than most, everyday-sized jack o'lanterns, and smaller gourds were stuffed into old-looking crates near the barn's entrance. 

At the time, once they were on the short-lengthed hayride with their legs brushing against one another whenever they hit a bump on the path, Alison mused how nice the weather was, holding a comforting breeze ━ like fall should always have. She could tell that Emily thought the same, mostly because brown eyes looked up at the sky repeatedly with something similar to wonder, and Alison admired her whenever she wasn’t paying attention.

Their turn to pick pumpkins came minutes after, Emily helping Alison off the tractor’s elongated back, and the brunette was tugged into a field of vines and broken stems. Mud covered the majority of everything, and the ground was soft, Emily warning Alison to be careful a number of times ━ even after the blonde gave her lecturing, “I’ll be fine” kind of eyes. 

It wasn’t until Alison went out of her way to toy with Emily that the brunette actually relaxed and pushed herself into enjoying their then-worriless day together.

_ “Are you sure you don’t need me to help you?” ten feet away, Emily asks Alison with raised eyebrows, the blonde holding onto her own pumpkin with the ability to, somehow, refrain from rolling her eyes at the extreme, unnecessary care. _

_ “I’m positive,” she answers with a sigh, semi-exasperated. _

_ Emily gives her a nod, ready to turn away from Alison in order to go back to searching for her own pumpkin, but her deliberation is violently disrupted when she hears, “Hey, were you wearing that spider pin when we got here?” _

Currently, the brunette rolls her eyes heavily at the entire altercation, the question evoking a reaction that was the least bit collective with her hands all but smacking her clothing with intent to get whatever-the-fuck off her body. Of course, nothing was there to begin with, and Alison snorted from where she stood with a devious, tilted head, matched with eyes that lectured, “now, shut up and enjoy yourself.” 

Emily didn’t even get the chance to vow payback, and that’s because she knew she had been on high alert for little to no reason, not wanting to be the type of significant other who limits their girlfriend when it comes to fun activities solely out of worry. She relented, and their trip concluded with smiles, a “terrible” selfie (they both claimed, though internally admired), and ice cream.

Her silly grin reappears, pouring a variety of candy into a smaller, newly bought, plastic cauldron for the two of them to share throughout the evening. An assortment of scary movies sits on the coffee table, ready to be rifled through so they can have an orange-lit marathon together ━ a result of three, electric, glowing candles sitting inches away from the DVD pile.

A deep breath fills her lungs, and there’s some movement behind the apartment door almost as if on cue, Emily turning to see Alison passing over the threshold with a bowed head until her chin tilts upward and an amused smile appears on her face.

The girl doesn’t have a chance to comment with enthusiasm, however, because Emily is automatically covering her tracks with a still-smiling “I hope it’s not too much. I just figured━”

“Thank you for doing this,” Alison cuts in, eyes serious but sparkling, “really.” 

“Is it… okay?”

“It’s perfect,” her smile returns, walking up to the timid girl and gingerly placing her hands on Emily’s shoulders, pecking her on the mouth before dropping her arms by her sides and looking around. “Did you really spend the whole day doing this?” it’s practically absentminded, blue eyes memorizing everything with the same, childish posture. 

“Uh, yeah,” for whatever reason, Alison’s excitement catches her off-guard, and she puts her hands on her hips while admiring what she’s done. “I went shopping for decorations, candy, and a few movies...  _ also  _ you needed groceries,” her voice takes on a pointed tone, the blonde turning around with a playful eye-roll, “then, I came back and put everything up.”

It takes Alison into another sudden moment of “firsts,” loving this newfound festivity that she hadn’t even touched upon before she met Emily. Sure, she’d decorate for Christmas when she had an apartment with Elliott, but it was primarily her own doing, and, even then, her ex-fiancé wasn’t a fan of the concept, not even complimenting her work. The lack of color, year round, kept her happiness from shining, their apartment always barren of its own personality, and, in turn, perhaps her own persona dampened ━ just another reason why she hadn’t been fully matured, but only dulled.

Even during her childhood, holidays were the least bit endearing, her parents not even taking a day off from arguing on Christmas, and Halloween was long forgotten. Around October, when she was younger, Alison would attend plenty of “spooky” parties, and that was the extent of her Halloween celebrations. Aside from that, she hadn’t been given the chance to spread her wings in terms of testing out what her favorite holiday would be, nor did her family ever get together with other relatives, leaving her to have nothing to bond with friends over when larger events came up. 

Now, as she sees how enthralled Emily is in her holiday happiness, Alison can’t help but want to match it, suddenly looking forward to spending Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, etc. with the girl ━ for much longer than she’d admit aloud, as of now. 

She seals her lips at the idea, turning her head to see Emily formerly studying the profile of her face, and Alison tries to push away her obvious bashfulness.

Alison’s eyes drift downward, finally noticing Emily’s attire: a black tank-top with two, orange triangles and a lone-toothed “pumpkin” smile, bottomed by sweatshorts. She smiles again, her girlfriend covered in holiday-enjoyment, and her eyebrows raise in mutual silliness.

The girl in front of her sees roaming eyes studying what she wears, being a silent, unknowing reminder, and, within seconds, Emily is taking three steps back and turning her body before presenting a pair of decorative, purple-, orange-, and black-striped socks to the blonde.

“You have to be at least a little festive, too,” in case Alison shakes her head at the idea, Emily puts on her best puppy-dog eyes, her girlfriend melting instantly with a small laugh.

She takes the gift with a gentle “Thank you,” holding them to her chest while leaning in to peck the brunette on the lips.

“So, what’s the plan, then?” when the girl backs up, her fingers are playing with the neckline of Emily’s shirt, still clutching the pair of socks in her palm.

“I’m thinking… anything you want for dinner, candy for dessert, and movies for the rest of the night,” her list isn’t the most clear-cut, but Alison appreciates it, nonetheless.

A smile is brought back to her face when she puts merely a foot of distance between them, words holding an underlying accusation with squinted eyes, “ _ Scary _ movies?”

“Some scary, and others…  _ classics _ ,” Emily wants to chuckle at her own claim, having scoured for the better-rated, newer movies with a few scattered additions of  _ Scream  _ and _ Hocus Pocus _ . 

“Perfect,” it’s seductive sounding, Alison leaning closer for a brief moment until her tone solidifies again, bluntly saying, “I’m picking the movies, though.”

“What about dinner?” once the blonde begins to back up toward the bedroom in order to get dressed, Emily tosses the question to the girl, forehead creased in confusion since she never received an actual answer.

“Candy,” she catches Alison shrugging in the doorway, a smug grin on her face, and Emily doesn’t get the chance to retort or dismiss the idea before there’s a barrier between them, a subtle locking sound being heard. 

Against her better judgment, Emily relents and walks over to the couch to get seated, knowing that she’ll most likely get the chance to change the blonde’s mind later in regards to eating a solid dinner. She’s fully aware that the girl’s tastes have been changing faster than the season’s temperature, coming in the form of odd cravings, horribly timed meals, and flat-out, disgusted expressions given to foods that, around when they first met, were favored by Alison. It’s definitely given Emily something else to keep up with, the brunette testing the waters every now and then by nudging her girlfriend into discussing meal-plans for the week ahead, and, for the most part, they’ve worked together with occasional mishaps of Alison groaning about something relative;  _ “I’m too tired to think of food,” _ a favorite excuse of hers comes three out of five times, and it either earns a pointed expression, or a wave of silence. 

Time and time again, Emily has mused that Alison has become more stubborn with her progressing pregnancy, the ten-week mark nearing as the blonde grows antsy with a shade of laziness and plain indecisiveness, and, in a tinge of apprehension, the brunette is cautious about what the rest of this “magical time” is going to bring. Her eyes widen.

“What are you thinking about?” as if she already knows, Alison steps in front of Emily’s zoned-out line of sight with the same, smug grin that had been last shown before slipping into the confines of the bedroom.

“Are you sure you don’t want dinner?” ignoring her devious expression, the brunette clears her throat and asks with curious yet pleading eyes, Alison sighing.

“Not now,” her shoulders slump, all but plopping herself onto the cushion next to Emily, her girlfriend turning so she can look at Alison through a better angle. “It’s only six. I’ll probably want dinner around eight, or maybe later. You don’t have to make it, though, don’t worry.”

“Of course I will,” Emily tilts her head to the side. “I don’t mind the time, Ali. I’ve been snacking all day, anyway. I just want to make sure you eat something other than candy.”

“I haven’t even  _ started  _ eating candy yet,” her argument is weak, a tiny, wiped-out smile tugging one corner of her mouth upward. “I don’t even know what you bought us,” she goes to peek into the small, plastic cauldron with intrigued, raised eyebrows, but Emily pulls her focus away with her hand gripping the girl’s chin, getting a frown.

“Not until you pick out the first movie.”

The grasp on her face allures Alison more than it probably should, not wanting to scan through the movies before leaning closer and kissing Emily. She capitalizes on her prodding thoughts, remembering how her mind kept drifting during the school board’s meeting, wanting to go home to see her girlfriend and, as she does right now, kiss her with underlying intent.

Emily’s hand absentmindedly slides across her cheek, just barely touching the base of the blonde’s neck and inadvertently sending a chill up her spine at the contact. 

It drags Alison in further, her hands landing on the other girl’s bare thighs to hold herself up even though she tries to tear herself away in order to keep tonight more so innocent ━ not to say there’s a solid reason as to why she should. Her nails scrape at Emily’s skin, the brunette getting hit with the new, cool stimulation against her legs, ultimately causing her to break their kiss by brushing her nose past Alison’s, features desolate as if she hasn’t gotten her breath back yet, and they both feel each and every effect of it.

Alison regains a sense of reality first, and her eyes drift to the coffee table without destroying the very close, constricting proximity, carefully reaching for a DVD case and holding it between her fingers. She doesn’t plan on backing up, wanting to torture Emily in the most subtle way, but the brunette takes it upon herself to lean backward, eyes looking to the movie’s cover. 

“Insidious?” she arches an eyebrow, Alison turning the case around to scan the title.

“Yeah, why not?”

“I… don’t know,” taking the object, Emily pushes herself off the couch and avoids walking into the coffee table, maneuvering around the piece of furniture until she’s kneeling in front of the TV with determination to get their marathon started.

Meanwhile, Alison admires the girl’s position, pursing her lips and taking a breath before trying to focus elsewhere. She hums while finding a pillow shoved into the corner of Emily’s end of the couch, reforming it so it’s fluffed, and placing it behind her back. 

The girl crouched by the TV-stand pays close attention to what she’s doing, mumbles falling from her lips every now and then as Alison, on the couch behind her, smiles at the sound, simultaneously not knowing when she grew into someone who gets mushy about the simplest things. Looking back from where she exists in the present, in a better time with a more-colorful personality, Alison would, nine out of ten times, stay away from those who resemble her old self ━ both versions: before she met Elliott, and after. 

Her forehead creases, musing how crazy it is to look back on self-growth and see how far you’ve come from the persona which you used to claim was comfortable and matured without clearly seeing how wrong you really were. She takes a deep breath.

“And what are  _ you  _ thinking about?”

Emily’s voice only gets Alison’s attention with a new smile, the blonde showing her a grabby-hand motion that commands her to sit quickly so they can snuggle up.

The room is darkened now that the sun is fully stashed away for the night’s remainder, electric candles still flickering across the ceiling with the yellowish-orange glint, some Halloween decorations around the apartment still lit to stir up an undeniable vibe. 

On the TV, the movie begins to roll on, Alison already leaving their cuddled-up position ━ within mere seconds ━ to reach for the bucket of candy, placing it in her lap with her legs crossed and Emily’s eyes fixated on her childish nature. 

Instead of commenting on it again, and internally lecturing herself for always nitpicking at things repeatedly, Emily relaxes into the cushion while paying a small amount of attention to the movie, squinting her eyes before thinking aloud when it evokes an assumption.

“For some reason, I took you as someone who would enjoy classics more than anything,” her teasing comes out of nowhere, Alison turning to her with a tilted head and furrowed eyebrows, “or  _ maybe  _ I just thought you’d be picky.”

In response, Alison narrows her eyes, expression turning challenging with her girlfriend’s grin only deepening. The blonde’s stiffness falters within seconds, but it’s replaced with a weirded-out curiosity and obvious judgment. 

“Why would you think I like ‘classics’?” a taste of grossness covers the term, Emily chuckling at her clear distaste. 

“I don’t know, honestly,” Emily never finds a solid reason as to why the thought occurred, not pushing herself to think any harder, and turning to find Alison staring at her with a glare that portrays something similar to offense. “What, you don’t like older Halloween movies,  _ at all _ ?”

The question causes her to give up on her act of irritation, only nodding her head and going back to unwrapping a piece of candy while lightly explaining, “I find them too cliché. Everyone’s always raving about old movies of  _ any  _ genre, while I just don’t see the appeal. I tried to, especially because Aria’s real into them, but… they’re not for me.”

Emily nods with pursed lips, signifying that she understands because, admittedly, she’s mostly the same aside from the start-up films to serial-killer franchises, afterwards losing interest in the many sequels of each story.

The sound of wrappers rustling makes Emily tear her eyes away from the screen, Alison contently eating candy while relaxing with her leg pressed to her girlfriend’s, and her amusement is only cut off by the brunette’s fingers snatching the fruity-sweet object from her hand until it’s behind the girl’s teeth. Alison frowns, whipping her head toward Emily with a glare and stoic features, and the other girl tries to hold herself back from laughing at how serious the blonde became in the span of milliseconds.

“Did I say you could have any?” Alison asks, biting the inside of her lower lip to stop herself from chuckling because technically Emily is the one who bought the candy, and━

“Um, excuse me, but━”

“Shh, I’m trying to watch the movie.”

The comment only invites a following gust of silence and nothing more, Emily’s eyes locked on her girlfriend who, apparently, capitalizes on her proclamation by staring at the screen and not allowing a single expression to mask her features. 

As a more-solid response, the stolen candy is successfully swallowed, Emily licking her lips when the remnants of sticky fruit coats her mouth, and, soon, she’s ready to focus on the TV while reaching over Alison’s hand to grab a handful of miscellaneous, bite-sized “food” ━ or, when she remembers the blonde’s answer from before, her mind throws around the word “dinner” with a subtle eye-roll.

Emily leans back against the couch, pulling her legs onto the cushion so they’re almost pressed to her chest, and Alison glances at her during the small bit of movement, her focus being disrupted. She sees Emily look at her, the process of chewing a piece of candy being stopped with a cheeky expression that the blonde chuckles at before Alison, likewise, adjusts her position and shifts back against soft fabric. 

She isn’t watching whatever is happening on-screen, however, although her eyes bore into the picture as if she’s finally situated once and for all, and her hand snatches whatever Emily was about to eat, popping it into her mouth before brown eyes can blink. It gets a frown, not that Alison can see from where she pretends to follow the movie, but, rather instantly, Emily’s body is slouching and accepting the fact that it was likely her girlfriend’s way of getting payback ━ that is, until the blonde does it again, quickly stealing her next piece of candy.

“Okay, that’s not even fair,” coming through a breathy laugh, Emily all but whines as Alison turns to her with a pointed, conniving smile. “I only did it  _ once  _ to you.”

The other girl lets out something that sounds like a dark chuckle, eyes flickering about Emily’s features in a way that maps out her true emotions, and the brunette isn’t deterred from putting up a guard so she can keep on with her own round of confidence. 

It wavers, realistically, when Alison rubs her lips together in a display of faux thought, squinting one eye while looking off to the side before leaning forward, focus intentionally drifting to Emily’s mouth with a taste of seduction laced throughout her movements, and her voice is heard as a smooth whisper backgrounded by movie-bound, panicked yelling.

“You know I don’t play to get even.”

In any other situation, Emily’s lips would seal out of sheer timidity due to the outstandingly bold statement, acting like it’s a dare that pokes the brunette into playing along. Five more seconds of staring into blue eyes and a mental shove to match her confidence are the two components which make up her next, un-Emily-like (in a courageous way) contradiction, stirring the tension with hopes to acquire the upper hand. 

She leans even closer, erasing more, thick distance between them, and innocently smiles in a shade that opposes her attitude when she taunts, “Imagine the fun we could have if I didn’t, either.”

Alison’s lips part at her words and how she spoke them, so eloquently and with a strength that’s new yet completely appealing, and it’s as if Emily stole the girl’s challenging aura for herself, ready to threaten the blonde’s title of “most seductive” in their relationship. 

The next reaction is covered in subtle disbelief, but it’s not exactly heard due to the way Alison absentmindedly presses her lips to Emily’s in a matter of seconds, wanting to feel the heat between them in a different way. Even though the kiss is initially short, a lengthy debate about fluffiness versus scrapping the Halloween night and falling into bed pings around within the walls of her mind, only ending with not a single answer when the brunette leans back in and captures her lips with a mutual want ━ or perhaps that’s a silent answer, given on Emily’s behalf, like she knew what Alison was thinking about.

Nimble fingers find the plastic container of candy held within her lap, skillfully reaching for the table and leaving it on the surface without breaking their kiss, and, once that’s over with, her hands hold the ability to roam freely, finding Emily’s face with intent to firmly cradle her cheeks.

Emily takes the newfound pressure on her jaw as a green light to gingerly nudge Alison down the couch cushions until she’s lying on her back, crawling on top of her with the normal, careful nature that she’s always putting into her actions. She lowers her body into the space between Alison’s opened thighs, being warm and inviting with a breathy grunt exiting the blonde’s throat when she inadvertently moves her hips to get comfortable. It earns a tiny laugh as the two adjust themselves to kiss more, Alison pulling Emily’s face back to hers when she strays too far, and the brunette’s fingers wander down the girl’s torso with the desire to find smooth skin.

A gentle, tickling sensation on Alison’s side makes her lips pause briefly, the feeling of knowledgeable fingers drumming up a round of torture threatening to keep them from kissing again when she wants to stop herself from whimpering at the action, but, to distract herself, she drags her tongue against Emily’s, hearing a sigh come from the girl on top of her.

The brunette wants to smile ━ and maybe she does a little ━ at the fact that Alison tastes like cherries, remembering one of their first conversations and purposely buying a variety of the same flavor so her girlfriend would be satisfied. Now that she’s gotten the chance to share the enjoyment of the taste, Emily would be inclined to agree that it’s bound to become a favorite, wanting to revel in it for the next however-many hours. Movie night be damned ━ or, in a way, isn’t that what those types of “calm, togetherly” plans are for?

They mutually break the kiss, more so as a result of Emily’s lower half shifting a time or two with Alison’s breath growing ragged, and a smile is mirrored by a laugh coming from the blonde ━ this one sounding like it’s self-frustrated and somewhat bothered with sheepish undertones.

“I think my hormones are getting worse,” Alison claims, though she knows, deep down, that she can’t necessarily blame her pregnancy for the way she’s been thinking of her girlfriend, and that it’s likely due to their lack of capitalizing on the energy between them more than once in the past week or so, their nights normally ending in relaxation and/or small massages.

No answer is returned, but Emily gains a devious glint to the way she bites the corner of her lower lip right before she’s leaning down and kissing Alison’s neck, deliberately moving around her skin with damp, open-mouthed embraces and a series of small nips at her throat.

“You’re not helping,” is all she can get out, strained through a whine mixed with a groan because, now, all she wants is more.

The clear frustration gets Emily’s attention, the brunette kissing her way back upward, planting small pecks to Alison’s chin and, soon, her bruised lips, whispering, “I’m not trying to,” before getting a laugh from the girl below her.

They’re about to lean back in, hoping to push things even further because, hell, they’re both beyond lost in each other, by now, but Emily’s head is lifting to stare at the door with wide-eyes when a split-second knock is tapped against the barrier, followed by it automatically opening to reveal CeCe who doesn’t appear the least bit surprised at their position.

“Trick or treat, to you two, too,” the taller blonde chimes in a single breath, making it sound like a Christmastime jingle, and Emily tries to push herself away from Alison without harming the girl beneath her.

Alison wants to groan loudly ━ or shove her friend back through the door ━ but only mentally scolds herself for not locking the━ 

“You know, you really should lock the door,” CeCe crosses her arms with a smugness to her stature, Emily wiping her mouth and “inconspicuously” fixing her hair with Alison shooting daggers at her friend. “ _ Especially _ if you’re going to be doing, well,  _ that _ ,” her addition comes with bug-eyes, making the brunette’s cheeks warm up with the girl beside her straightening her back out. 

Pushing aside her sexual frustration, Alison manages to replace it with unworldly annoyance, taking a deep breath but halfheartedly clenching her teeth with a pained, exaggerated expression that all but tells CeCe to get lost.

“You’d still barge in, anyway,” Alison’s statement is emphatic, almost punctuating each space in her response with solid, curt tones. 

CeCe only offers a shrug that says, “maybe yes, maybe no,” before she’s walking over and tossing herself between the two who remain disgruntled over being interrupted.

“Why are you here?” is the next, aggravated thing to come from Alison’s mouth, also glancing past her friend so she can silently apologize to Emily in case she’s feeling uneasy about being caught.

She sighs, “I was originally at Aria’s, but she and Ezra are watching a  _ Twilight Zone _ marathon, and I can’t be bothered by that.”

“Should I put it on, too, so you’ll leave us alone?”

“I can’t believe you’re letting your inability to get laid take precedence over our friendship,” CeCe feigns hurt, Emily wanting to snort at the way Alison’s mouth drops open with her eyebrows furrowing.

“It’s not an inability!” her voice cracks. “And you could’ve called, first!” 

“I was in the neighborhood!” the other blonde keeps her voice level, Emily sitting quietly while feeling entertained by their banter ━ and, if she’s being honest, the idea that she stirred up Alison’s frustrations so much that the girl is seemingly willing to shut her friend out of the apartment so they could finish what was started.

Alison doesn’t respond, being at a loss when she leans back against the cushions to look toward Emily, earn a small grin, and tilt her chin upward so she’s staring at the ceiling. Emily chuckles, meanwhile seeing CeCe reach for the cauldron of candy in front of them with a sudden “ _ Ooh _ ” noise, and, within seconds, the girl is relaxing next to Alison who continuously side-eyes her friend.

Paying no attention to Alison’s glaring, CeCe sighs happily when studying the DVDs strewn along the coffee table, stealing an Airhead out of the plastic container and unwrapping it while saying, “Thank God you’re not into classic movies, Ali.  _ This  _ is my kind of marathon,” before she earns a half-whine, half-groan from the girl in mention, and a snicker from Emily. 

 

X X X

 

The three sitting along the couch fall into a pit of quietness and engrossment in regards to the movie, the TV now playing  _ The Nightmare on Elm Street _ remake as CeCe periodically eats the now-scarce candy from within the plastic cauldron’s confines, forcibly keeping the other two girls apart.

A foot or so of distance doesn’t protect against Alison’s constant side-eyes, however, Emily catching her girlfriend occasionally turning to her so they can see one another behind CeCe’s hunched-over posture, but the brunette normally turns away whenever blue eyes flicker a specific deviousness. In simple terms, Alison is still feeling the effects of their make out session from before, her body riding on that subtle wave of euphoria with intent to keep Emily’s sultry emotions stirring within, likewise. Whenever they lock eyes, the blonde takes the initiative to boldly stare at Emily’s lips with a faded yet still-obvious smirk, sometimes biting her bottom lip with an attitude that states how tense she’s feeling, and the brunette, nine of out ten times, clears her throat and stares ahead at the screen in determination to ignore whatever is churning within her core.

CeCe hasn’t noticed ━ or, if Alison knows her as well as she  _ does  _ know her, the girl has ignored their heated, silent conversations behind her back ━ and, for the most part, has kept to herself with minimal, candy offerings to the two sitting on either side of her, otherwise paying attention to whatever movie is on-screen, at the time.

It’s now nine-thirty, and exhaustion has started to peak, Alison yawning a time or two as her stomach, every now and then, rumbles with a strong desire to be fed even though her appetite shakes its head at the concept.

On the other side of things, Emily can tell her girlfriend is growing antsy ━ not to say she can pinpoint the top reason ━ and wonders if she should voice (or simply mouth) her concern with questionative features. She doesn’t, in reality, and just remains sitting motionless, both her and Alison being caught off-guard when CeCe derails their thoughts with an entirely new, anxiety-inducing reminder.

“Are you ready for your ultrasound?” the taller blonde clears her throat, turning to Alison with eyes displaying curiosity, lacking invasiveness or anything provocative.

At first, Alison offers her a shaky smile with her eyes drifting away due to how out-of-nowhere the question is, not exactly being anywhere near prepared to  _ answer _ , let alone attend the damn appointment. 

“What made you think of that?” the deflection comes with a timid laugh, Emily also wondering the same, from where she sits, without making it known; although they’ve spoken about the appointment, their conversations have primarily  _ tiptoed  _ around the fact that, next Monday, they’ll be walking into the clinic with that vehement idea of “togetherness,” only to put it to the test, however the brunette has felt a spark of desire to be more direct about the topic ━ not to say she’s taken any discussions into her own hands.

“I don’t know,” CeCe’s tone raises an octave, mostly out of defense because she, too, realizes that there wasn’t a real initiator in relation to what made her think of asking. “I guess it’s been on my mind, and I really just remembered while sitting here, so I didn’t want to forget again.”

A nod is given, so slow that neither Emily nor CeCe can tell if it was a responding gesture, at all. They both wait, though Emily doesn’t look at Alison too much, the fear that she’ll spook her girlfriend being a constant reasoning in her mind for the way she acts so timid to pay attention to pregnancy-related plans and ideas. CeCe, however, raises her eyebrows gradually, pushing herself to seem far more interested so Alison will crack.

“I━um,” Alison’s eyes flicker around the room, raising her chin, taking a breath, and settling back into coherent sentences that at least hold the capability of forming a true answer, “I’m…  _ ready _ , in the sense that I know it needs to happen, and I know it’ll be okay.”

CeCe takes it with an understanding smile ━ one which Alison assumes is a shade of comprehension, even if she can’t really empathize on the subject ━ and gives them both a curt nod as Emily breathes out with her own, hidden nerves clenching at her throat.

She can tell that Alison is feeling the same way, especially because her side-eyes have turned into something more childish and evasive instead of seductive like throughout the previous hours; the blonde’s body language makes Emily feel like they’ve traveled back in time ━ both of them ━ and are two, newly acquainted lovers trying to navigate through a part of life that’s so much bigger than they are, even together. It brings about a new taste, wrapping around their relationship like a blanket on a warm, fall night with intent to provide comfort even though it becomes a little too hot to handle, and they’re going to have to find a common level to stand whatever life heaves at them.

Long lost is the playfulness and carefree nature of their time spent before CeCe barged through the door, the weight of the situation they’re in the midst of becoming too powerful to ignore as Alison’s appointment draws closer, and maybe, just maybe, it’ll push them into treating this not only carefully, but as if it’s the center of how they’ll be together; it’s important, and identifying, in a way, that the two acknowledge how complex their predicament is, not only because they’re dating while there’s a baby on the way, but because they’re dating while Alison is carrying  _ Emily’s  _ baby, and that’s… well.

That’s what committed couples do.

A tiny smile turns the corners of Emily’s mouth upward, Alison noticing from where she sits and, on sight, her eyes squint in suspicion even though her mouth curves with a drive to match whatever her girlfriend is feeling on the inside, but her eyebrows are raising in attentiveness when CeCe turns to her again.

“When are you supposed to find out the gender, by the way?” her question is rapid, coming out in what sounds like one gust of breath. “Are you going to?” she adds when not knowing if Alison has decided to have the information be a surprise, narrowing her eyes.

At first, the blonde’s mouth opens and closes slowly, not knowing how to answer when she hasn’t given it much thought ━ or  _ any _ . 

“I don’t know  _ when _ ,” once the words escape her mouth, her eyes peer past CeCe to look at Emily, intentionally putting her on the spot because perhaps it’ll get them to openly admit that this includes both of them since, lately, they’ve backtracked on being so upfront. “What do you think, Em?”

CeCe turns her head to look at the brunette whose forehead creases, asking, “What do you mean?”

“Do you want to find out?” the hopefulness in Alison’s tone makes Emily’s heart flutter, also noting the faint grin on her face, like she’s hoping the answer is at least solid enough to understand that it’s a joint decision. 

The girl’s childish, wishing, sparkling eyes execute Emily’s initial response, almost claiming that it’s not up to her since it’s still the blonde’s child, but, when she continues to be stared at with that taste of longing to mutually be so-very faithful in terms of openness, her mouth just hangs there in deliberation.

“I haven’t really thought about it,” Emily’s voice is quiet when she makes the confession, but Alison’s smile deepens with a flirtatious yet teasing chuckle coming through, tilting her head to the side.

“Think about it now,” she shrugs as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world, the brunette taking a breath and leaning back against the arm of the cushion, CeCe still in-between them with little to no desire to break up their conversation because, fuck,  _ someone  _ needs to get them talking. 

“Part of me would like to know, but… I’m not sure,” as she speaks, her head begins to duck in unknowingness. “What do you think?”

Although she had pushed Emily to reach inside her mind and find an answer, Alison feels stumped when the question is thrown back in her direction, muttering a small “I don’t know.”

After that, the conversation seems to die between them, CeCe turning her head back and forth to see equally conflicted expressions and a fresh nervousness covering both girls’ demeanors, taking a breath and nodding, more so to herself, before chiming in with her two cents. 

“You should talk about it,” her suggestion comes with pursed lips and obvious eyes, Alison rolling hers.

“Thank you, genius,” Alison’s reply is dull.

“Always here to help,” CeCe puts on a painfully playful, taunting attitude, knowing she’s getting under Alison’s skin.

“Or steal all my damn candy,” with a scoff, the cauldron is torn from CeCe’s lap, the tall blonde not bothering to take it back as she makes a face and stands up, stretching once she’s in front of the couch with both Emily and Alison looking at her. 

“I have to leave, anyway. I only came to kill some time, really, and I have an early meeting tomorrow.”

The other two stand, but only Alison walks her friend to the door as CeCe stops in front of it, again prodding with a silly “Thanks for letting me join your movie night.”

“There will be five bolts on that door, in the morning.”

“And you’ll forget to lock each and every one of them,” as she opens the door, Alison shifts her jaw at the response, getting a final wave and smile from CeCe ━ in addition to Emily’s, over-the-shoulder “Goodbye” ━ before closing the barrier and rolling her eyes with a chuckle when her fingers slide the lock into place.

Behind her, Emily stands quietly, almost wringing her hands in front of her body in such an awkward manner. She looks around the room as though she had never seen it before, trying to focus on one thing in particular so she doesn’t have to be consumed by her growing, anxious thoughts. Surprisingly ━ at least to Emily, herself ━ she feels a breath of relief pass through her when Alison is finally facing her, looking equally as cautious in regards to the brief conversation they just had with CeCe.

Eight feet of space separate them within the apartment’s dimmed walls, the movie still rumbling in the background, and the atmosphere appears…  _ surreal _ , being an unwavering reminder of the date that’s quickly approaching. 

There’s a silent agreement that flows between them as their eyes lock for more than two seconds, this time, knowing this is going to be a huge milestone for both their relationship and them, as individuals. Neither want to voice the thought, however, and carry on with dancing around it ━ or simply ignoring it.

Alison is the one to break the newfound tension first, swallowing hard and putting on a comforting facade that hides every raw emotion beneath the surface.

“Are you nervous?” her question receives quizzical eyes from Emily. “For next week.”

“Yeah,” she doesn’t take too long to admit it, afterwards giving Alison a small laugh before shifting her jaw and looking off to the side of the room, at nothing in particular. “Not for the appointment, but…”

“The reality of it?”

Once Alison fills in the blank, there’s no escaping it or vaguely denying that, yeah, she’s terrified of what it could mean ━ even if she knows that most outcomes appear positive, more than anything.

Her lips seal, nodding and muttering, “Pretty much.”

Her nod is mimicked, Alison taking another look at Emily who lingers in the same spot, and, soon, begins to approach her girlfriend with a forming smile, hoping to provide a stable security for the brunette.

“Me too,” the confession is fragile, voice only holding more strength afterwards, “but we’re in this together.”

Emily can’t think of anything to say ━ despite wanting to confess how much the sentiment means to her, and how she can’t wait to go through this together ━ so, in turn, her smile from before appears, whispering, “We are,” and pulling Alison closer so she can kiss her lips, forehead, and temple as they begin to hug tightly.

The embrace reminds her of the time they had first hugged, in this manner, with Alison’s arms tucked into her torso after the blonde had emerged from the bathroom following a fit of morning sickness, ultimately bringing her back to how she felt, in that moment, and what the greater meaning of it was. Emily took care of her, that morning, and wanted to make sure the girl knew she isn’t in this alone while also providing an unfaltering idea of stability with warmth, and love, and comfort ━ and she’ll keep doing that, not only for her girlfriend, but for both herself and Alison. 

For  _ all  _ of them, actually ━ the two of them and the baby.

She smiles again, all but burying her face near Alison’s temple because, as far as she’s concerned, that’s where she’s supposed to be. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end of this chapter was certainly one of the biggest moments within. We see the comfortability of Emily (mentally) owning up to how she's happy to have become Alison's security blanket, in a way, while also minutely assuming her role as a big part of how Alison operates in regards to her pregnancy. In Emily's mind, this is where she's supposed to be, just like Alison believes her role is to make up for her iffy childhood by creating her own, tight-knit family. Unlike Alison, Emily doesn't have a big reason for that, aside from how she's always been that kind of warm person who wants to have someone to hold, but I think that's just a part of their puzzle. They fit together, don't you think?
> 
> So, somewhere in this chapter, Alison mentions that she feels she and Emily have backtracked in the department of being so upfront. This is because of the appointment that's approaching more and more (thanks, CeCe, for reminding us), so they're not really backtracking but just… settling down ━ almost like they're only semi-aware of what's to come, and don't realize that it's bogging down on how they sort their own thoughts; there's a major realization hitting them. Just like Emily said a while ago: "It's just an appointment." Yeah, it is, but it's also a very big stepping stone for how they work together. And I'm sure some people (in a way, myself, included) think, "Well, come on, it shouldn't be that big of a deal," but I'll keep stressing the fact that they're primarily two people constantly building a one-on-one relationship before anything, and then you throw a baby into the mix, on top of the fact that it's Emily's baby, and everything gets blended until things are sorted little by little. There are a lot of emotions in play, here.
> 
> Nerves are spiking, too; they're finally coming to a head within their "should I mention it, or will I overstep?" debate. Soon (very soon, I promise), we'll see them actually realizing that they're very much in this together, and we'll be able to move into the territory that's labeled as something more than just lovers, and it's because we'll be forced to revisit their first argument: the card revelation, and what was said.
> 
> All that aside, with fluff in this chapter came the two learning more about each other, like Alison watching Emily go hog-wild with holiday excitement, and Emily listening to Alison explain her tastes in movies. Little things add up big, especially when they already seem so close. Gotta keep the flame alive, somehow!
> 
> Obviously, this chapter was meant as more of a silly, stay-at-home date ━ until CeCe crashed it. When I told y'all that this story would be almost totally fluff-filled, I meant it; I think we needed a break from drama, and I'm content with little to no conflicts in here. Again, that's not to say there's no destination; I promise we'll end up somewhere satisfying, and there's a point to all of this.
> 
> Now, I know not everyone celebrates Christmas, however I'm sure everyone will be happy (no matter what you celebrate) to know that I'll be back in two days to deliver a present! It's one of the biggest updates of this story, and I'm happy that it ended up timed well in accordance with Christmas since I, personally, do celebrate, and I want to share that spirit with you.
> 
> In the meantime, don't forget that my fic, "A Rosewood Blizzard," can still be found on my page, which is an Emison Christmas story that starts with a little tension, taking place after the 7x10 episode. I'll be rereading it, also. Otherwise, I'll see you soon!


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas (or plain ole' Monday)!
> 
> I hope everyone's enjoying their day thus far (even though it's just past midnight, here). If your day isn't on the right track just yet, have no fear! There's plenty of time left to make it better, lovelies.
> 
> Alright, so, I came by early to drop this little chapter off for you wonderful people to enjoy while I, myself, sit around and eat candy as I watch a handful of Christmas movies.
> 
> So, let the enjoying begin.

Emily feels an anxious leg vibrating against hers, Alison constantly fidgeting along the odd-tinted, cushioned seat within the waiting room’s bleak, attempted-colorful walls adorned with pregnancy facts, child-educational tidbits, and other things they have no way of paying attention to, as of now.

She isn’t sure if her girlfriend is more anxious about the impending visit, or if the blonde is only feeling unnerved due to her intentionally ━ instructed, more like ━ full bladder that’s normally emptied every fifteen minutes, much to Alison’s displeasure whenever having to move from the couch or bed. Nevertheless, the blonde continues to shift in her seat, crossing and uncrossing her legs with her hands wringing in her lap even though her expression displays mindlessness that confuses Emily due to how oppositional her features are; although the rest of Alison’s body language portrays that of heavy nervousness of the upcoming unknown, her mouth is fallen into a straight line, though it’s not tight or forced, and her eyes seem curious of the room. 

Occasionally, they turn to one another, putting on kind faces used as masks to hide their mutual questions and cautiousness about the visit, and it’s mainly a result of not wanting to scare the other into believing they’re rethinking this decision when, in fact, they’re…  _ excited _ . 

A nearby clock silently ticks, its motions cohesive and self-assured even though both girls can hear the deafening movement within their minds without giving the concept of time an ounce of attention, having arrived five minutes ago with swirling stomachs and weightless limbs that only became more extreme when they approached the receptionist together.

Brown eyes watch women weave in and out of the clinic, some pregnant and others carrying their newborn children with body language that screams pure exhaustion. Occasionally, Alison studies them, as well, her eyes holding a sparkle (from what Emily can see using her peripherals) with her lips, on the off-chance, curving into a smile before bowing her head when she’s sucked back into a vat of nerves.

The girl’s attitude has been off-putting, to say the least, mostly because Emily feels sympathetic that her own agitation has seemingly transferred to her girlfriend over recent days, but, at the same time, the brunette muses that she’s happy the tense emotions are mutual.

Over the course of the past, six days, they’ve tripped into a weird, adjusting period, both girls still mildly stunned by the random-as-ever, “should’ve happened already” revelation that they’re going to be having a child together. They still haven’t acknowledged it, at least not in a way where they flat-out beam about it, and their conversations primarily dance around the subject with tiptoed phrases and sly, somewhat-awkward grins that are also lathered in affection, but, internally, the concept picks at their brains like gnats on a warm day. No reluctancy is present, definitely not, and, if one of them were to own up to what’s going on with a strong voice and conviction, the other would be sure to match it, but it’s a matter of getting there and taking that first step ━ just like it’s always been.

Along with that, Alison has been searching for places to live, and she’s constantly pinched her bottom lip between two of her fingers while narrowing her eyes at her laptop’s screen, Emily normally chuckling at her pensive state before getting a small eye-roll matched with a smile. Most residences she scoured the internet for weren’t houses, however only shabby yet bigger apartments, keeping her distance from actual lots. Emily wasn’t sure why, seeing as though how drawn her girlfriend is toward suburban-esque homes and the idea of a “cliché” life, but she never asked, nor did she give her opinion on any apartments unless asked; although she had given Alison the idea that, if need be, she’ll be the blonde’s roommate, Emily figured that she’d keep to herself unless questioned and/or truly invited. 

So, next to Alison who kept searching through nearby home ads and internet, real-estate sites, Emily paid attention to one of her many, picked-up  _ “What to Expect”  _ books, all but burying her nose into the inner crease of the pages with intent to understand, well, what to expect.

In Emily’s opinion, due to a certain mishap between the two, her book-reading did more harm than good, the brunette going through a slight, moody period during the week, ending with Alison snapping at her.

Like usual, she had been buried in a pregnancy booklet, forehead creased with her mouth settled into a frown at a certain article on the page, Alison walking into the room to chuckle at Emily’s expression, asking,  _ “What’s that face for?” _

It wasn’t a big deal, really, mostly regarding health exercises and food-intake, what pregnant women should be eating, what they shouldn’t, how much sleep they should get, etc., but Emily’s concern drummed heavily, and her only response was that Alison should be reading the books, as well, to get a feel for everything. 

_ “Just in case,” _ she said, and, instantly, Alison frowned.

_ “In case of what?” _

_ “I just want you and the baby healthy, Ali. These are really informative, and you should be reading them,” Emily tries to defend herself ━ albeit weakly ━ and, again, the blonde’s frown reappears, but this time it’s more severe with her arms crossing. _

_ “But I don’t have to.” _

_ “No, you don’t  _ have  _ to, but━” _

_ “Let me get through the first trimester before I do any reading. I’m not going to risk scaring the crap out of myself, this early on,” Alison snaps, shrugging her shoulders as her arms are still crossed tightly against her chest, and Emily’s mouth drops open without being deterred from getting her point across. _

_ “Well, what about the stuff you’re supposed to know ‘early on’?” although she doesn’t want to be snippy, her voice comes out curt and emphatic, Alison only growing more irritated. _

_ “Look, I know you just want me to feel prepared, but it’s only going to make me nervous, as of now, so drop it.” _

Immediately, Alison caught the look on Emily’s face, already wanting to take it back within mere seconds of the outburst being all but thrown at the girl with bite. Emily visibly shrunk back, her body looking like the remaining amount of energy she was desperately holding onto was gradually leaving her chest, and her shoulders slumped with her head only nodding. Alison heard the tail-end of a quiet _ “Okay,”  _ no anger inserted into the short word, but she knew the girl was feeling scorned by what just transpired ━ all because she cared; it was clear that Emily, after that, believed she crossed some kind of line, and that maybe she was second-guessing their whole, “domesticity” act, causing the blonde’s heart to grow sore because that’s not what she wanted at all.

The next day, Emily was reading again, and, that time, Alison sat down close to her, leaning her head against her girlfriend’s shoulder while snuggling close. Emily didn’t feel stiff when she sensed the tenderness against her skin, continuing studying the words on the page as if she wasn’t really reading, but only staring at the paper below inked with terms.

_ “I’m sorry if I upset you yesterday. I didn’t mean to,” Alison pulls her head up, looking at Emily’s profile when confessing the whisper. _

_ “I know you didn’t,” it’s light and understanding, Emily putting the book down in order to fully pay attention to the girl sitting next to her. _

_ “I know you know that, but…” she struggles with her own, internal explanation. “I just didn’t want to admit that I’m already nervous about somehow messing up so bad that I…” no more words come out, not even wanting to vaguely hint at losing the baby or anything relatively as horrible.  _

_ Alison swallows hard, “I took it out on you, only because you care.” _

_ Emily listens to the underlying pain in the girl’s voice, suddenly noticing Alison’s eyes beginning to water as she stares off to the side of the room, and, at her next words, the brunette’s heart falls lower into her chest, having to put on a comforting smile even though she wants to frown at the overall idea. _

_ “I don’t want you to stop caring,” no tears fall, but Alison’s voice wavers, and Emily pulls her closer so an arm is wrapped around the blonde’s body, kissing the top of her head and leaning against it, afterward. _

_ “Shh, I love you,” Emily mumbles near her temple once the girl shifts, Alison nodding, more so to herself, and taking a round of deep breaths before pulling her lower lip between her teeth and having her eyes drift down to her lap.  _

_ “Are you nervous, too?” _

_ “Very,” Emily lets out a shaky laugh, the other girl hearing it before lifting her head. “You’re not the only one scared to mess up,” her next smile is ready to falter at any second, and Alison decides to lighten the atmosphere by putting on a childish grin. _

_ “Is that why you keep reading books?” _

_ “Part of it, yeah,” the mild comedy is lost when Emily admits with a nod and eyes that widen just barely. “They comfort me, kind of,” her eyes dart to the book recently tossed onto the coffee table. “Knowing what’s going on, and what’ll happen next, and how you might be feeling…” _

_ “No book could ever describe that,” Alison disagrees with a big smile and exaggerated tone, shaking her head harshly. _

_ Emily laughs, “I figured, but… it gives me a peace of mind.” _

_ The brunette is stared at for a few extra moments, Alison’s mouth slowly turning into a big, admirable smile, and she pulls herself closer so she’s almost in Emily’s lap, reaching for the book and claiming, “Okay, then, let’s read.” _

_ “Ali, you really don’t have to,” she accepts the offer but tries to comfort Alison, just the same, but she’s faced with adamant eyes and a newfound seriousness on her girlfriend’s face. _

_ “We’re a team, and we’re going to do this together, scared or not.” _

That moment eased Emily’s worries, if you were to ask her, but she’d also be lying if she proclaimed that she isn’t still timid about crossing a boundary, or messing up with  _ Alison _ ━ nevermind the baby. She assumes it’s part of the territory, though, especially in a relationship like this where it’s not the most conventional, in any aspect. Hopefully, when they’re finally over this interpretive dance of figuring out who’s bound to make a move first, things will be much clearer and she won’t be afraid of doing anything to chase Alison away. 

She smiles at the idea, already getting hit with a wave of longing, and Alison turns to her girlfriend as if she senses the strange happiness.

“What?” the blonde can’t help but grin at Emily’s content expression, mirroring it with a mild shyness.

“Nothing,” Emily turns away but fails to erase her own happiness, cheeks also starting to warm up until she clears her throat and changes the subject. “Who’s your new doctor, again?” 

Her mouth opens, ready to answer the question, but their attention is diverted when they hear Alison’s name being called from the nearby doorway, Emily feeling like she should shake her head and blink hard to stop herself from hallucinating before remembering that Spencer’s sister, Melissa, switched workplaces only a few months ago in hopes of expanding her sonographing horizons ━ with better pay ━ which means she isn’t seeing things.

They approach Melissa, Alison’s nervousness still evident with Emily’s hidden beneath a mask of common courtesy, both smiling when they reach the blonde’s new ultrasound technician ━ or doctor.

“Emily,” Melissa matches her radiance, Alison suddenly feeling the need to question her girlfriend with a quizzical eyebrow raise. “Interesting seeing you here.”

Alison remains looking between the two, shuffling out of the lone doorway so people can squeeze in and out, and Emily finally gets the hint with a caught-off-guard “Sorry, um…”

She takes a breath, “Ali, this is… Spencer’s sister, and I  _ assume  _ your new doctor.”

The short explanation gets a pair of realizing, widened eyes and a newer grin from Alison who, after, directs a kind “Nice to meet you” at Melissa, and Emily wonders if her girlfriend is now feeling more comfortable with the visit since the person about to perform her ultrasound is a friend. 

“I take it you’re coming in with us,” Melissa looks at Emily, an underlying smirk being detected by both other girls, but Alison hums in response before her girlfriend can hardly formulate some sort of answer ━ though it’d still be positive.

They begin to walk, Alison automatically grabbing for Emily’s hand and entwining their fingers even though the brunette is somewhat dragged behind within the corridor’s small width, and they’re following Melissa into a lit-up, stark-white room with equipment scattered around.

If Alison wasn’t used to it already, she’d feel the objects are quite intimidating, and she’d question most of them, but, internally, only thanks every higher power that this ultrasound is going to be better than the last, primarily because, this time, she won’t have to have something shoved up her━

“You don’t have to lie down just yet, but you’re welcome to,” Melissa nods to the padded “bed,” urging Alison to perch herself on the very edge while Emily gets situated on the nearby, guest chair with only two feet of space separating them.

As Alison gets comfortable ━ or a makeshift version of the idea ━ her movements are stiff, arms straight as boards while gripping onto the very edge of the seat beside her hips, and her ankles cross in front of her. She doesn’t want to look this nervous, and, before the appointment, had hoped that she’d gain a certain wave of confidence to help both her and Emily through this visit with flying colors, but her mind won’t stop racing for whatever reason. It’s just an appointment, she tries saying to herself, still not sure why she’s this timid about something that’s going to be over within fifteen minutes, plus it’s not the first ultrasound she’s ever gotten done.

On the other side of things, as Melissa types on a nearby computer whilst humming to herself on Alison’s left, Emily wonders if her girlfriend is more anxious as a result of her presence, or if it’s because she, too, realizes that this is so new and so,  _ so  _ cohesive in terms of relationship growth.

They feel like actual parents, to put it bluntly ━ not that they had been lacking the persona before this moment ━ and it’s uplifting to know that, yeah, they  _ are  _ in this together, but the idea is still taking its time working through their heads until it’s retained.

Alison glances up, lifting her chin to lock eyes with Emily whose face is equally as desolate ━ until the brunette is smiling in a silent, “we got this” type of way, and, within seconds, the expression is indefinitely shared, ultimately easing the blonde’s worries ━ most of them, at least.

“So, how’ve you been feeling?” Melissa asks Alison without looking away from the screen, probably noting that there was a recent “scare” coming in the embodiment of the common cold.

“Fine,” her answer is airy, pursing her lips. “Still feeling tired, but I don’t think that’s the cold’s doing,” it comes paired with a breathy laugh, Melissa agreeing with the same reaction.

“The medicine helped, though?”

Emily pays attention, eyes drifting to Alison while the blonde’s head is turned toward Melissa, and she replies with a strong “Yeah, definitely.”

“Alright,” her finger hits the keyboard’s backspace repeatedly, eventually pushing her chair away from the computer in order to move over to the actual piece of equipment, a second screen ━ this one less graphic-savvy, in a way ━ being rolled closer to where Alison sits, and the blonde’s posture stiffens while Emily keeps a firm eye on her overall demeanor.

“You can lie back now,” Melissa smiles at Alison, getting a makeshift, mimicked grin as the blonde looks behind her and follows direction, situating herself to the best of her ability. “Also, do you mind if I turn off the lights? I just see better, that way. Some people don’t like it, though.”

Nearby, Emily smiles at the small wave of chitchat between the two, mostly because she knows that Alison is probably more comfortable than she was with the last doctor that did the imagery, and, judging by the way the blonde chuckles with a cute “It’s fine,” her wonders are proved accurate.

The room is darkened within seconds, the only light being granted by the black-colored screen with weird text and boxes where coordinates and terms are typed in, and Melissa wanders back over to Alison’s side, initially standing in front of the machine while periodically tapping keys in order to get it to the proper window. 

“Lift your shirt, please,” at the new instruction, Alison does as told, making a disgruntled face while arching her back slightly so she can push the fabric upwards, and Melissa ends up putting a few pieces of tissue around the area. “I know this gel can be a real bitch, so I’m going to do the best I can to keep it from going all over.”

Emily snickers at the girl’s lack of tact and small bit of “unprofessionalism,” Melissa catching onto what she’s thinking and saying, “Yeah, no, everyone here knows I don’t limit profanity. Neither do they. They just act all golden and special.”

“Glad you’re liking your new job,” the brunette comments, smirking as Melissa gets a wad of gel and smooths it over the probe’s surface until it’s coated.

“I love it here, actually,” Melissa laughs, taking more of the thick substance and putting a bit on Alison’s stomach as the blonde makes a face, Emily smiling and tilting her head to the side when her girlfriend all but refuses to look at her, lips sealing. “No one is looking over my shoulder all day, and I pretty much have free rein. They don’t mess up my hours, either.”

Finally, for the first time, Melissa adjusts her hand before pressing the probe to Alison’s stomach, the blonde’s expression morphing as her lips stay sealed. She looks to Emily who smiles, her features softer and more considerate, almost like she’s asking the girl if she’s okay. Alison nods, and Melissa taps a few more keys, soon beginning the actual process of watching scattered images appear across the dark screen.

Emily feels like she’s shaking in the chair, formerly not noticing until her posture slumped with her elbows digging into her thighs just above her knees, and Alison senses her own body’s newfound, internal tingling. She turns her head in hopes of being able to detect what’s being shown on the screen, and her eyes occasionally dart to watch Melissa’s face morph into that of interest with her free hand’s fingers tapping along her mouth. Alison isn’t sure if it’s what she normally does, or if there’s an issue, but she bites her tongue while waiting for the woman to say something.

They both wish they knew what they were looking for, only knowing basic shapes and what more matured, unborn babies look like from a variety of television shows and movies ━ and textbooks, if you want to get technical ━ but nothing when it comes to this early of a stage in pregnancy. Really, everything appears meshed together and occasionally shifting, but, again, they don’t know if that’s Melissa moving the probe, or if it’s the actual baby.

Finally, with a flat hum and an emphatic, quizzical tone, Melissa mutters a self-directed “Huh,” while looking at the screen, the half-assed comment not being a question, but really just overall…  _ confusion _ ?

“What?” Alison is apprehensive but a bit worried, not knowing if her reaction is a good or bad thing because, up until now, Melissa has been mostly silent and absorbed in what she’s typing into the machine accompanied by a mixture of furrowed eyebrows and occasional, perplexed frowns.

Emily, as well, wonders what’s going on, forehead creased while leaning forward with a diluted layer of worry etched across her features. She doesn’t dare look at Alison, though, not wanting to spook the blonde, and instead opting to be her rock, if need be. 

“When’s the last time you went for an ultrasound, again?” Melissa turns to Alison after taking the handheld device away from the girl’s stomach, expression not dreadful but simply questionative. “It’s in the other computer, if you really can’t remember.”

“At the end of September, I believe,” again, Melissa’s wonder makes the blonde feel uneasy, hoping she didn’t fuck up by not coming in sooner.

“And what’d they have to say? The doctor.”

“Not much. He said the baby and I are fine,” after biting her cheek, she digs the memory out of her head, only vaguely recalling what he had to say. “He was really impersonal. Hence my reasoning for requesting to see you this time,” her lighthearted, nervous joking makes Melissa nod with a mask of acceptance and maybe a slight sample of agreement.

“Well,” when her chuckling dies down, she turns to Alison and, for a brief second, Emily, “congratulations, then.”

Alison’s lips only part in unknowingness, easing her head forward slowly while waiting for an expansion on what she said and why she said it, Emily doing the same from where she sits without letting her concerns be heard.

Melissa sees their reactions, wanting to laugh at how conflicted they appear, but smiles while staring at Alison and saying, “You and baby just became you and two.”

“Two…” Alison replies without thinking much, dumbfounded and still not catching on ━ or maybe the thought is so far-fetched that her brain just… shuts down. 

“Twins,” Melissa’s grin widens, happy to provide them with the news.

Their natural responses are only that of shock, however, looking like they want to share her happiness without being able to formulate the emotion properly. Alison’s lips are still parted, lying on the makeshift bed with her eyes scanning the room as much as she can whereas Emily periodically glances at her girlfriend while wondering what she’s thinking and how she’s stomaching the new information. 

Overall, they’re silent, like,  _ yeah,  _ this appointment really did bring a new feeling to their relationship, but it’s a lot more than they expected or even thought about ━ it’s not unwanted, however, and Emily’s mouth peaks into a small grin as her eyes sparkle with a new wave of accomplishment, like she just walked into the clinic to donate, all over again.

“I know it’s another wave of information to take in,” Melissa deeply exhales once she’s finished tending to the machine, “but, with the procedure you had done, it’s very likely to happen. Much more likely than standard conception since, this way, multiple embryos are used and monitored. They should’ve told you about that before you consented to it.” 

It’s a prying statement rather than merely rehearsed, Melissa’s eyes locked on Alison’s with her eyebrows raised in a form of double-checking to make sure the clinic used proper protocol and contracts, the blonde automatically nodding in reassurance once she gets a firmer grasp on the conversation.

“They did, yeah,” Alison’s voice is quiet, clearing her throat after. “I guess I just…” she shrugs, wide-eyed because, seriously, it’s not like she expected it to be her reality. 

“It’s easy to digest when you think it won’t happen to you, but sometimes hard to stomach when it actually does,” with a matching, half-smile, Melissa’s tone is knowing, and Alison goes bug-eyed again.

“Tell me about it.”

Emily wonders if she detects disdain or blatant upset within Alison’s words, but it’s hard to tell, and she’s left with her lower lip bitten between her teeth with her eyes darting to the blonde, every now and then. She wants to know what her girlfriend is thinking, however, and wishes she could reach across the two feet of space between them in order to hold onto Alison’s hand in hopes that she’ll take the gesture with warmth and mental invitation, but remains in her own thoughts until, thankfully, Melissa helps out with the brunette’s desire to get into the other girl’s head. 

“I’ll give you some time to breathe while I get these into the clinic’s main computer,” with a second-lasting gesture to the screen nearby, she notifies while standing up. “When I get back, we’ll finish your screening, and then you’re free to go.”

“Thank you,” Alison smiles kindly, waiting until the door creaks closed before she and Emily are within the room’s darkness, the machine’s light filling the space a shade more than earlier.

At first, it’s quiet, neither wanting to break the silence ━ or their own self-involved thoughts ━ by speaking, but Emily can’t help herself once her eyes continue drifting to Alison, finally catching the blonde staring back at her with a mirrored apprehension, almost like she’s scared of what the brunette thinks about what’s happening.

“Are you okay?” Emily’s voice is laced with care, standing up so she can walk over to where Alison is situated in order to be relatively face to face.

“I’m…” she lets out a laugh, eyes boring into the ceiling with a taken-aback grin over her mouth. “I wasn’t expecting it. The thought never crossed my mind that I’d be having twins.”

The reality is still so heavy, they both muse, and Alison looks at Emily’s arms slumped by her sides, deciding to take one of her hands so she can partly tangle their fingers with a soft “What about you? How do you feel about it?”

“I’m…  _ shocked _ , to say the least,” the confession comes through a breathy chuckle, “but I’m okay as long as you’re okay.”

“Really?” her skepticism is light, Alison wanting to make sure she’s being sincere.

“Really,” Emily assures. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Maybe two would be… more than you bargained for,” she knows the reasoning is the least bit solid, sounding silly even saying it with a shrug, but Emily only leans down with Alison meeting her halfway, two kisses being shared with oncoming smiles that only touch upon what they’re starting to truly feel.

“Two is perfect,” their faces linger an inch or so away while Emily whispers, Alison leaning in again and kissing her another time before the brunette straightens her back out.

Their clasped hands still sway between them, Alison chewing the tip of her tongue even though her cheeks threaten to turn a shade red with obvious, overwhelming happiness that Emily fully shares. 

“Are you prepared?” suddenly, Emily’s new question comes with squinted eyes that tell how she already knows the answer, Alison only giving her a deadpanned look.

It’s responded to by another smile, this one equal parts beaming and devious while also genuine, and it’s matched by Alison within a round of seconds.

“You’ll stay by my side?” the blonde manages to ask, vulnerable but also a shade flirtatious.

“I’d love to,” Emily twists her own tone, keeping up with the other girl.

“Good,” the quick answer is heard, followed by Alison rubbing her lips together in faux thought that signifies she’s about to say something toying and/or teasing, ready to taunt her girlfriend, and it’s made definite when she points out, “because this is kinda your fault.”

The other girl’s mouth opens in pretend offense, eyes soon narrowing with a certain slowness that alerts Alison of the impending rebuttal.

“I vaguely recall you saying you picked me,” although she speaks with teasing, her heart flutters and only sends the butterfly-ish feeling to Alison, as well, the blonde sealing her lips with an oncoming smile, not being able to stop her dimples from showing at the simplest ━ yet most impactful ━ reminder.

“I’d do it again,” with the same tone, the blonde hides her seriousness behind a facade of equally squinted eyes and that same, beaming grin, Emily biting her lower lip and wanting to respond while staring into an unwavering, blue gaze, but they’re both turning to the door when it creaks open, Melissa slipping into the room without paying attention to the two.

“Okay, I’m back,” she mutters under her breath, more so to the papers she’s assessing.

Emily reluctantly tears herself away from Alison’s hand, backing up until she’s sitting in the guest chair once more, and, while Melissa takes her time reassuming her position from before, the blonde can’t rip her eyes away from the girl she’s come to know and love, smile remaining constant on her face. 

This appointment sure as hell has provided them with a much-needed push, and Alison’s heart refuses to stow the information away; they knew this clinic visit would grace them with a new level of intimacy, in a way, but they certainly underestimated how much happiness it could provide, and they’re both beyond grateful for their (internally admitted, acknowledged) little family. 

 

X X X

 

Bounding through the doorway, Alison in front of Emily who closes them into the blonde’s apartment, they both smile heavily, more so at the liveliness covering both of their body languages and summed-up attitudes following the appointment.

Alison beams, feeling almost weightless, and continues mindlessly dreaming, “Maybe I really  _ should  _ buy a little, suburban house and be  _ that  _ kind of mother,” with a never-disappearing smile, Emily giggling from where she stands behind the girl until she’s turned to with sparkling eyes.

“I mean,” the blonde continues, face contorting in deep, spur-the-moment thought, “it’s not like I don’t have the money for it, or the support to purchase an actual house.”

Emily purses her lips and raises her eyebrows, bowing her head slightly in a way that non-verbally agrees with her girlfriend who rambles, consistently seeming like she’s consumed three cups of coffee and an energy drink after they walked out through the clinic’s front door ━ and the unstoppable personality was introduced to the brunette by Alison looping their arms with a smug grin when they were walking to the car, almost like she had underlying intentions without actually doing so.

At the silence, with a deep inhale, exhale, and short settling period, Alison minutely squints her eyes ━ almost unnoticeably ━ nodding to herself with a new sense of determination.

“Why should I have the mindset that my ‘domesticated’ life starts with getting married?” her rhetorical question gets a tilted head from Emily ━ one that encourages Alison to follow her heart. “Why can’t I just… buy a cute, little home for my own benefit? For my own  _ interest _ ? And these kids,” she backtracks by a few words, content smile on her face while briefly pressing her palm to her stomach.

Across from her, as they stand just feet from the door with a good amount of space separating them, Emily grins proudly, more than happy to hear Alison thinking optimistically for her own benefit ━ not mattering whether or not that bright, shiny future includes the brunette. 

Even though it really does.

With a newfound, internal questioning, as if Alison is asking herself why she never thought of it before, her eyes drift to the floor while explaining, “I’ve never been super cliché, but there’s just something so serene about a white picket fence.”

She looks up, locking eyes with warm brown, “Like it’s supposed to be home no matter what street it’s on.”

Emily finally turns her hands upward, innocence spreading throughout her demeanor while looking at Alison with a childish, shy smile that’s suggestive, all on its own.

“What if you need someone to cosign?” when she speaks, her words are quiet and even-toned, giving Alison the option to run away, if need be, but also wanting to display that, no matter what, she’s looked-out for, and the blonde seals her lips with lightly blushing cheeks. 

The brunette licks her lips, expanding on the offer, “I told you, I’d never invade your privacy, but, Ali, you’ve become so important in my life. I’m not saying this to jinx anything, and we already discussed this, but, if something were to happen and we didn’t end up together, I’d still want you happy, and I’ll always care.” 

Alison looks down, shuffling forward a step or two without erasing too much distance between them, and she hears Emily finish with a quiet, decisive “I’m going to be here until you don’t want me anymore.”

“So,” blue eyes peer upward, her head bowed even though she stares at her girlfriend through her eyelashes, “what are you saying?”

She gets a shrug matched by a dopey smile, Emily knowing what she wants without having a harsh grasp on what Alison sees in the future of their relationship, and the blonde answers her own question with her former taste of enthusiasm.

“You’ll cosign for the house,” her teeth shine through a pretty smile. “You’ll be my counterpart.”

“Always,” Emily all but chokes out, and Alison approaches to hug her, not wanting to keep their bodies separated for much longer because, ever since they found out that new, wholesome piece of information, all she’s felt the drive to do is cling to her girlfriend without letting go for the remainder of the night ━ or as long as possible.

The rest of the visit had survived the tension between them, luckily, and Melissa didn’t mention it ━ although Alison is sure she, too, felt them wanting to kiss and seal the deal when it comes to taking this giant step in their relationship. The couple managed to keep themselves at bay, paying great attention to what Melissa showed them and how she explained things, like expressing how not everything’s formed just yet, and that both babies, as of now, are mostly just starting out. Alison had trouble remembering what the light and grey areas represented, only recalling how the term “amniotic fluid” made her eyebrow quirk, at one point, and Emily snickered at her reaction.

It lasted about fifteen more minutes, Melissa recording data in the form of measurements and (Alison assumes) health standards, and their visit ended with the significant ━ vague or not ━ moment of hearing the babies’ heartbeats, or at least the faint beginning of the strong, life-long rhythm. Emily and Alison both felt themselves swelling with new emotion, constantly being hit with revelation after revelation, and the brunette’s mouth even opened in disbelief when leaning closer to hear ━ something that Melissa inconspicuously smiled at before turning away to give them time to process.

For the thirty minutes following her appointment, Alison has been repeatedly musing how the visit definitely set something new on their plate ━ not just in terms of a second baby, but the fact that they’re both feeling like parents without exactly using the word aloud. 

It certainly gave her a fresh emotion to hold onto, however, and a higher level of happiness to match ━ only seeing it reflected, spark by spark, within Emily’s eyes once they both pull away from the hug, still only inches away.

Alison’s smile from before lingers across her mouth, but it hides behind her eyes once she asks, “Do you want to go out tonight?” with resolution, not wanting to be bound to the apartment for the rest of their evening together ━ not when she’s feeling this airy.

“Do  _ you  _ want to go out tonight?” the question is bounced back to her, Emily raising her eyebrows, and Alison bites her lower lip, nodding. “Okay, where?”

She only takes a second or two to think of something, probably already having the idea poked into her mind before asking, and her words are husky but childishly playful when suggesting, “Dinner and a movie?” with a low sound in her voice providing the theory that she knows Emily will accept.

“I’d like that,” it’s confirmed with a grin, brown eyes dropping to her girlfriend’s lips twice.

“I’m paying, though,” Alison breaks Emily’s distraction with the underlying lecture, the brunette groaning slightly, in response. “I owe you, and you know that,” she continues with the mild scolding, especially when the other girl looks away.

With a sigh and her head bowing, Emily’s light distress dies down, being replaced by a desire to be cheesy with the proclamation that Alison has been paying her back since the beginning of this pregnancy by being so careful and secure; she wants to express her gratitude for the girl’s safekeeping of the two babies inside of her, but, in the end, keeps her words to herself with a bitten lower lip and a pretended, drained posture.

“We’re a team,” the brunette rehearses her girlfriend’s words from the other day, and Alison already knows what she’s doing, so the beginning of a laugh is heard while Emily tries to hide her smile because she knows it’s a ridiculous, half-assed attempt at winning this debate. “We can split the date’s cost.”

“No,” with a head shake, Alison laughs until it turns into a trail of giggles. “There’s no way you’re holding that against me for  _ this _ .”

At her reply, Emily instantly acquires a new argument, squinting her eyes.

“What was it that you said a few weeks ago?” she thinks to herself, and the other girl rolls her eyes with a silly smile that’s only diluted when she presses her tongue to her inner cheek, hearing the reminder, “ _ ‘I can hold whatever I want against you.’ _ ”

“That’s not fair.”

“You said it.”

“If you care for me so much, you’ll let me pay for you so I can be happy,” Alison offers a beaming, conniving smile that expresses how willing she is to fight fire with fire.

“Oh, come  _ on _ ,” brown eyes look away, shoulders slumping.

“I told you, I don’t play to get even,” Alison’s entertainment wears off, keeping a delicacy about her features while waiting for Emily to look back at her.

Next, in the short period of time following Alison’s claim, Emily huffs, still facing away without intent to lock eyes with blue because, if she does, she knows she’ll give in.

“Let me take care of you,” knowing what she’s doing, Alison tries to lure her in by using seduction, also attempting to peer into the girl’s eyes even though Emily persistently claws to escape. “Let me treat you to a night out.”

Following another minute of breaking eye contact after mere seconds, Emily relents with a sighed “Fine,” and Alison nearly snorts at her acceptance.

“Way to sound enthusiastic.”

Groaning, Emily leans her head back while Alison giggles, the blonde taking a step closer so she can burrow her way into the girl’s arms for a short round of seconds, afterwards tilting her chin upward enough to peck at soft, complying lips.

In the meantime, the brunette’s exaggerated, stiff posture slumps before tightening in a new way, suddenly harboring a thought that comes to mind and cradling it without making it known on her own accord. 

Alison, however, notices, basing her guess off the way Emily tries to muffle her own imagination by leaning into kisses again and again, but she also refuses to push the brunette into confronting what’s on her mind. Instead, she only tilts away so they’re close enough to feel heat, but with a distance that allows them to make strong eye contact.

It acts as a silent lecture, Alison provoking Emily to spill whatever she’s harping on without exactly poking at her with words and curiosities, and, once the brunette gets lost, it works.

“Thank you…” it’s absentminded and comes out smoothly, like it only slipped through the crack of her lips before she could stop it, ultimately adding a punctuated, “by the way.”

Alison silently questions her, forehead creasing until she asks, “For… tonight?”

“No,” shaking her head and bowing it, Emily licks her lips, thinking in a five-second span of pause before she’s able to muster up some makeshift courage. “I don’t know how to word what I want to say, but… I feel I should say  _ something _ ,” again, she puts her words and thoughts together, Alison waiting.

Finally, after extensively worrying at her bottom lip while they stand between the apartment’s quiet walls, Emily’s eyes flicker to the ceiling before putting her heart on a platter in hopes that Alison doesn’t frown at anything she says or thinks ━ not that she believes she ever would, but pessimism is a dangerous thing.

“You never had to go through all of this… like, the pregnancy, and everything it’s brought, and this entire, new lifestyle, but you chose to. I know you chose it for you, and I’m so happy that you realize how strong you are and how it’ll all work out in the end, no matter what,” taking a breath, a small laugh tumbles out before Emily continues, “but I can’t help thinking about how well you’ve taken care of…” her voice dies in her throat, eyes briefly glancing downward and, suddenly, not wanting to finish the sentence because her confidence scurries off to hide somewhere.

“Your children?” Alison finishes for her, insides shaking without portraying her nerves on her exterior, and a tiny smile tugs at her lips with an obvious knowingness and a breathy laugh.

“They’re yours, Ali,” deflecting away from her former timidity, Emily disagrees, but not with any attitude negativity-derived. 

“They’re as much yours as they are mine,” the blonde says with seriousness. “If not  _ more  _ yours.” 

Emily inhales and exhales, psyching herself up for whatever, and she supposes this conversation is getting them to a better, more-knowledgable place than where they had been before, but the usage of the term “ours” still escapes both girls, and the brunette doesn’t want to push it.

“I just… thank you,” her eyebrows raise for a split second. “I told CeCe, a few weeks ago, that I guess I’ll always care about what happens to them, and to know that you’re changing your life around just to make sure they’re happy and healthy…” when her throat grows sore from being on the brink of tears for whatever, emotional reason, she swallows hard and finishes, choked-up, “it means the world.”

Alison notes her eyes watering heavily even though they’re in a space within the apartment where light barely reaches, the faint luminance bounding off the fresh moisture lining Emily’s eyelids without the blonde pointing it out. Admittedly, she feels it, too.

“How much is the world worth?” to make everything lighter, Alison reminds Emily of her question from the other day, already knowing the answer and smiling tenderly. 

She gets a faint laugh from Emily, the girl’s head ducking and nodding. Alison wants to look into her eyes, however, so she uses the brunette’s nickname when she speaks again, and automatically gets her attention.

“Em,” Alison tilts her head to the side, “you know I wouldn’t have been able to get through any of this with a smile if it weren’t for you. My strength would’ve wavered, and━and I don’t know what my outlook would be like,  _ especially  _ if I was alone when I found out that I’m having twins,” she gets out a shaky laugh. “I’ll always take care of them, though, because I do know how much it means to you, and I love them just as much as you do.”

Emily bites her inner cheek, not wanting to outright admit it even though the insight is written all across Alison’s face because, no matter what, she can tell how much the brunette cares for and loves these kids, and she feels guilty for how heavily her girlfriend seems to be breaking down at the thought of actually getting to own up to everything or call them hers, in any light. 

“I know how much you love them,” her eyebrows raise as she stresses the fact. “I don’t want you to hide that, and I’m not asking you to.”

The girl seals her lips, a tear dripping down her cheek, and Alison doesn’t hesitate to wipe it away with the pad of her thumb. Her reaction invites a pang of regret accompanied by more guilt, Alison frowning and stroking her cheek.

“I’m sorry if I ever made you feel like you’re not able to be honest with me about how you look at these kids. I never wanted you to censor your thoughts, or keep them hidden away.”

“I know,” Emily admits without looking at her, sniffling hard and clearing her throat. “You just wanted to make sure I loved you for you, and not because…” her mouth opens and closes, thought diminishing.

“I never expected you to love me, honestly,” Alison senses her own throat tightening at her remembrances, Emily finally studying her features. “I mean, looking back, I wanted a chance with you, just like you wanted one with me, but… you mean so much more to me than I planned for, or even knew existed,” her confession comes with a sad smile, the brunette staying attentive. “I didn’t know I could feel this way about someone who looks at me the same as they did from the beginning, especially because of what I told you when we first met. Not about this pregnancy, but…”

Alison pauses, bringing up her own, past words and reciting, “It’s been a long time since someone’s given me a reason to feel good about life.”

Emily stares at her, features soft and kind.

“You give me a reason every day,” the blonde smiles shakily, “and I thank  _ you  _ for that.”

The sentiment gets a home in the air for a good few seconds, only turning into a bit of comedy when Alison adds, “As cheesy as that is,” and they’re both chuckling.

She’s pulled into a hug by Emily who wants to feel their bodies pressed against each other, seeking to revel in her warmth and overall coziness with an everlasting smile and happiness. Alison matches the satisfaction, a grin on her face, but she doesn’t hold back from continuing the conversation with her mouth moving against the fabric of Emily’s shirt.

“Please, never feel you can’t be honest with me, and never believe that I’m rethinking my decision to have you in my life or these kids’ lives. You already told me you’re here to stay, and I’m holding onto that,” she backs up so she can look into brown eyes, “whether or not you want me to.” 

No response, but Emily keeps a firm grasp on her words.

“I can tell you’re sometimes afraid to say things,” Alison whispers, “and, admittedly, sometimes… so am I,” a regretful smile breaks through her confession, “but maybe we should stop.”

The other girl seals her lips, agreeing internally even though she still feels nervous about following through.

“Maybe we should just be honest, or attempt to be, when we’re feeling things that are…  _ scary _ , or just…” with a curt struggle, the blonde inhales and sighs, “what we consider to be so straightforward that it’s intimidating.”

Without getting an answer, Alison glances down and entwines their fingers in a way that Emily can hardly feel, only initially being hit with a tickling across her palms.

“It may take some time, but I’m willing to  _ try  _ and be an open book with you,” Alison offers a shy grin, swaying her girlfriend into taking the same risk with her, and Emily mimics the expression. “I’ll try as long as you do the same, and know I won’t judge you for it, or ever turn away. I want to know how you feel about me,” at her own words, she looks down, rubbing her lips together before peering upwards again, “ _ and _ about  _ them _ , about us… all of it.”

“Okay,” Emily finally nods, voice clawing its way out of her throat, “we can try that.” 

They share a laugh at her response, more so because it sounded made up of sheer nervousness and a tint of fear, and a heaviness falls on their shoulders even though it’s the least bit menacing. The idea will take some time to get used to, but they’re undoubtedly willing to try.

They  _ want  _ to try.

“I love you,” with her thumbs rubbing against Alison’s hands, Emily gives her a confident smile.

At the proclamation, Alison waits with an expectant mask over her features, tilting her head to the side with her eyelashes batting and her lips sealed, a bashfulness eventually splaying over Emily’s mouth because she knows what the girl is searching for.

Finally, Emily nibbles her lower lip for a fraction of a second, confidently adding, “And I also love them,” to receive a glowing, narrow-eyed grin from Alison.

“Really?”

“Really,” she smiles heavily, and Alison happily leans in closely until they’re almost pressing their lips to one another, stealing a final second to mutter against a soft mouth before they kiss and get lost for a while longer.

“We love you too.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Small notes before we begin the obviously vast discussion!
> 
> Hello, Melissa; obviously, if you know me and my other works, you'll remember that I try to include as many canon characters as I can, therefore yes, hello.
> 
> Also! A fight like the vitamin scene! ━ A.K.A. a favorite. I really enjoy the aesthetic (can I call it that?) of Emily getting super lit over baby things, and careful things, whereas Alison is like … #canunot, so I wanted to include that, also because they were super domestic in that on-screen moment, so I was stoked.
> 
> NOW, to the good stuff!
> 
> Finally, we reveal that clear, hidden conflict (is that an oxymoron?). I'm sure we knew this; at the very beginning of the story, once they found out about the baby (now babies) being Emily's, Alison tells Emily that she doesn't want her to feel obligated to stick around. That created a sort of tension where Emily felt she couldn't talk about it without making Alison feel like she's only with her for the child's sake. It was unintentional, and Alison realizes what she did. She also did it to herself, however, and made it so she didn't even want to mention it previously, but now they've finally gotten to the point where it's time to put their cards on the table about what's going on. Again, it'll take some getting used to, but now they look at it as if the floodgates are open and they're able to be honest.
> 
> Another thing: we're going to have to put that honesty to the test, and they're going to have to open their minds when it comes to not tip-toeing around things. Their mindsets won't change over night, and no one should expect them to; these may be characters, but they're still human (in this fic-world), and they're still stubborn as fuck ━ after all, this is Emison we're talking about. We still haven't used a collective, "our babies" phrase, and there's a clear difference between them acknowledging that they both play a part in this and that they're basically going to be parents together. Remember, we're technically cramming new relationship milestones and pregnancy milestones together, so it's complicated, and bound to get tangled. I know, I know, I keep repeating that, but it's because I think we often forget about it.
> 
> So, where do we go from here? Well, despite the progress we made in this update, they still have some ways to go ━ but we're still a heck of a lot further than we were earlier! Right now, the notion of twins still hasn't fully sunk in. Currently, they're on this "cloud nine" type of high where they understand there are more babies involved, and they're excited and fulfilled and happy, but we have yet to really see the idea sink in where they're hit with that #oh moment ━ not in a dreadful way, but just… this is happening, this is real. It's like… you know when something big happens and you have those two waves of realization? Like, the initial, "oh, alright, yeah," moment, and then the second one that's like, "wait, what… the fuck." It won't take too, too long, but it'll definitely pay off, no matter what.
> 
> I want to be upfront about something in this update: there's a difference between being a roommate, and being two people who own a house together. Here, the option is given in a sense of "I'll help you out with this house" instead of what we so-desperately want: "It's going to be our house, and our life." It's another thing we'll bridge, as I understand it can be confusing ━ it's also confusing for the characters ━ but it's only a matter of time before someone finally voices their ideas.
> 
> Next update, we'll be having a nice time with Emily's parents, and you may very well see a visit from jealous Ali ━ a crowd favorite.
> 
> Now, be free! Enjoy the rest of your day, tomorrow, and every moment following. Happy Holidays from me ━ A.K.A. your beloved Charlie (or Cap'n). Leave me some love in my Tumblr ask box, if you'd like: "capn-charlie".
> 
> I'll see you soon.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 11:45 P.M… such an odd time to be updating.
> 
> Who am I kidding? There's never an odd time to update!
> 
> I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays, or the past however-many weeks (in general). I spent my time eating desserts and reading "A Rosewood Blizzard," and now I'm wasting my vacation days through the binge-read of "Place Your Bet." That's a good one. I heard the author's a weirdo, though.
> 
> Anywho, I'm posting this chapter approximately half a day early because I'm heading to the casino at the asscrack of dawn tomorrow, so I won't be around at my normal updating time (yes, I have one of those), but obviously I wanted to get this chapter to you, no matter what. How sweet am I?
> 
> Have a very merry pre-Thanksgiving chapter!

She tugs Emily’s hoodie tighter around her body as her butt feels frozen against the bleacher bench she’s sitting on, patiently waiting for the team’s week-early Thanksgiving scrimmage to be over.

It’s nearly finished, her eyes glance toward the cheap-looking scoreboard on the field lit up for the occasion with the clock’s remaining seconds, and her palms rub at her biceps to provide some kind of makeshift warmth that she hadn’t been able to get going for the majority of this game ━ particularly now that the sun is almost set for the evening.

Emily looks just as cold, Alison muses, body language stiff and brittle as if she’ll snap in two whenever she bends down to show one of their players a new strategy to complete a certain drive. She doubts the brunette would admit how chilly she is, though, because of the girl’s vehement comments of, _“I’ll be fine, Ali, really,”_ and, _“This isn’t the first Thanksgiving scrimmage we’ve done. It was colder last year,”_ that she vowed were true instead of simple statements to get her girlfriend off her back about her choice in jeans and a thin jacket, before they left the apartment.

With that in mind, they were out the door only minutes later, ready for both the holiday “game” and a premature Thanksgiving dinner with Emily’s parents as the true event lies over a week from today.

Arriving to the game with smiles, Alison earned a hug from Mr. Fields who, like always, would stand alongside his daughter to coach, today leaving Mrs. Fields at home to finish preparation for the visit that would ensue once they all arrived two hours or so later. Mr. Fields’ grin ━ when they showed up, and he saw Alison for the first time since their initial encounter weeks ago ━ was a little more fatherly than she expected, and beyond uplifting, causing her remaining worries to diminish about how Emily’s parents have taken the news, not to say she’s completely feeling at ease about facing the brunette’s mother. It got a matched smile from Alison, nonetheless, and Emily offered a tiny, satisfied smirk at the sight of the two making chitchat as everything was unpacked and prepared for the scrimmage ahead.

Her lungs empty in a large gust, still trying to warm herself even though her teeth chatter until she’s clenching her jaw, hoping to appear less frozen once Emily turns in her direction because she’s fully aware of how high the brunette’s caution and tenderness will spike if she so much as _detects_ an alerting demeanor ━ Alison’s scrunched-up position, for example, would be a high contender on the list of obvious attitudes to gain the sharp, creased-forehead question: “Are you feeling okay?”

She smiles, her cheeks wishing to warm themselves with a blush but not having the bodily temperature to do so.

Suddenly, there’s a whistle, followed by Mr. Fields’ voice calling the players in for a group send-off before they’re running along the shortened grass and into the parking lot with their respective parents. Emily stands in the huddle, giving a few high-fives like it’s something she’s proud to do, in any scenario.

Again, Alison smiles, and no amount of cold can keep her body from feeling fuzzy about how good her girlfriend is with children, and how it’s something she honestly looks forward to sharing with her. Hopefully, Emily can give her a few pointers on how to be a solid guardian that’s both nurturing and fun, and they’ll be able to do it as a team.

_“You’ll be my counterpart.”_

_“Always.”_

Her legs stretch out as she stands up, wanting to shake away each and every fluffy memory from her mind because, as of now, all she wants to do is bury her face in Emily’s neck and stay there for the rest of the day, but she’ll have to put that idea away until they leave her parents’ house. She carefully maneuvers her body so she can gracefully step down from the bleachers, not being able to jump off anymore without having to sturdy herself a whole lot afterwards ━ or without giving Emily a heart attack.

Families are starting to disperse once she’s approaching the bench where Emily has the team’s bags sitting along the chipped-away, green-painted piece of wood, her father lingering nearby with a chart in his hands, making a thinking face that looks a lot like when his daughter does it.

Alison looks around the area, not wanting to overstep when Emily is still in “football mode” ━ something she had used a deep voice to stress when the brunette’s gaze was fixated on a chart, much like the one Mr. Fields is reading at this very moment, and, in turn, her girlfriend only shook her head with a snicker. She studies the spacious, grassy area, and how the sun is almost completely down under the horizon with the evening’s later hours approaching, almost forgetting how stiff her limbs feel until she’s moving her shoulders in a circular motion to get some blood circulating.

It doesn’t exactly help, no, but, when she turns her head to the right where families exit the field, her blood boils just a fraction, causing her demeanor to freeze over in a whole new way. Near the two, silver poles of chain-link fence, a twenty-something-year-old woman waits for a little boy who bent down to tie his cleats, though she’s not paying an ounce of attention to the young player, all eyes directly on Emily with a roaming gaze like she’s had her sights set on the brunette for quite some time.

Blue eyes narrow, glaring at the woman who doesn’t even realize how far she’s overstepping in such a short, breathless amount of time, and Alison’s mind begins to play scenarios on a loop, thinking of seven or eight different tactics that she could use to get her to stop peeping at━

“Are you two coming right over?” she doesn’t even notice Emily and her father approaching, the majority of the team’s bags slung over the older man’s shoulder except for one, and Alison puts on her best, kind face. “Your mother should be ready, by now,” he turns to the brunette, notifying her.

“Uh, yeah,” Emily looks to Alison for confirmation, the blonde giving her a _very_ tight-lipped smile ━ not to say she picks up on it before turning back to Mr. Fields. “Just give us a few. I have to make sure I have everything,” she pulls the lone, heavy bag off her back, gesturing to the item with a grunt when it threatens to pull off her shoulder before it hits the ground.

“No rush. Dinner will still be around when you arrive,” his eyes move to Alison while he speaks, the blonde pretending to pay attention even though she mostly zones past his frame to watch the same woman check Emily out whilst the brunette is kneeling on the cold grass.

Alison hears her girlfriend faintly question her father, “Are you sure?” even though, fuck, all she wants to do is circle Emily until she’s standing in the woman’s line of sight in a silent warning, challenging her to make some sort of move if she’s going to be that obvious.

Once Mr. Fields begins to walk away, Alison seems to flicker back to reality, scrapping her cruel-intentioned thoughts without forcing her eyes away from the gaze that’s dotting along Emily’s body for reasons that the blonde would rather not acknowledge.

She clears her throat, vaguely hearing Emily’s voice in her ear as the brunette mindlessly talks to her without having the least bit of knowledge about what Alison is _really_ paying attention to. Alison crosses her arms tightly against her chest, face stoic, and the brunette finally stands up with her hands brushing at the knees of her jeans, bag sitting on the ground next to her.

Brown eyes glance at Alison, positive emotions all collapsing onto the Earth beneath them when she sees how rosy the blonde’s skin looks, and how her nose is almost red from the late-autumn, evening air.

“Shit, Ali, how cold _are_ you?” her expression is the epitome of worry, approaching a step but soon noticing that her girlfriend is staring past her, raising her chin, and shifting her jaw.

“Does she usually go to your scrimmages?” without answering the question or even looking in Emily’s direction, Alison asks, voice monotonous. “I didn’t see her last time, but I wasn’t exactly there for long,” her lips purse at the end of her explanation, scrunching up her mouth with icy eyes.

At the question, the brunette appears more confused than ever, posture slouching as she turns, looks over her shoulder, and sees a woman peering at her in the same way ━ a shy smile on her face ━ while walking across the parking lot, one of the young players running ahead of her. When Emily faces Alison again, her girlfriend looks overall pissed, but, this time, is staring into her eyes, features clearly waiting for an answer.

“Why?” as soon as she replies with a wonder of her own, she wishes she hadn’t, especially when Alison squints.

“Can you just answer the question?”

“Um,” she tries to think, biting the corner of her bottom lip while her eyes dart along the trees above part of where they stand, and her shoulders slump, “I really don’t know.”

The blonde rolls her eyes, raising her eyebrows with a curt “‘Kay,” that’s not very comforting, Emily feeling uneasy when it’s the lone response she gets.

“Do you wanna tell me why you’re asking?” it comes with a shaky, breathy laugh, Emily tilting her head to the side as if it’ll help her look into Alison’s eyes when her girlfriend tries to turn away.

“No, not really.”

“Alison,” now, Emily feels just as bothered, though she keeps on a lecturing half-grin that pleads with her girlfriend to be honest.

Sadly, the girl in front of her takes it the wrong way, not enjoying the slight bit of fluffiness that Emily tries to infuse into their conversation because, as far as she’s concerned, it seems condescending, like she has no idea what she’s talking about even though, really, she does; that woman’s gaze was far beyond telling, and the way it drifted up and down, only lacking her tongue licking her lips before her teeth trapped the tip of it. Alison would know, judging from the times she’d caught herself doing the same while daydreaming about Emily, or merely watching her do everyday tasks.

“Hello?” the brunette prods again, this time with a frown which, truly, ends up being no better than that small grin.

“What?” Alison snaps partly, internally grateful that it wasn’t full force even though she can’t help but feel her body heat up with irritation, and the blonde wants to darkly chuckle at how frigid temperatures are no match for how jealous she can get, and how fired up her limbs feel when she’s become protective, and… insecure.

Her eyes water, but she blinks her vulnerabilities away in hopes that she’ll keep up with mere frustration, knowing it’s easier to calm down when she’s jealous as opposed to feeling cracked and ready to break at any second.

Emily gives her a sad look, those puppy-dog eyes that explain how she understands what the girl’s hormones have been doing lately without having a firm grasp on her own defenses in order to keep herself from taking each blow personally. At the sight, Alison’s jaw clenches.

“I’m sorry, okay?” her tone contradicts her apology, insides shaking with conflict. “I just don’t like seeing people look at you like… _that_ ,” she refuses to look at Emily when she says it, eyes going wide while she turns to where the woman exited the turf.

“Ali, I don’t even know what you’re talking about,” the brunette’s head eases forward with her shoulders tightening in a large shrug.

“You seriously didn’t notice her checking you out? That’s comforting,” sarcasm drips from her words, Emily’s body language apparently deflating with her tongue pressing to her inner cheek.

The other girl sighs, only understanding the bits and pieces that Alison is giving her.

“I’m sorry, I really didn’t notice,” Emily hopes her honesty is enough, wanting to ease Alison’s irritation by at least a little. “I was paying attention to what I was doing, and, when I had a break, I was looking at you.”

Internally, Alison wants to roll her eyes and scold her girlfriend for using that smoothness against her, making her feel like they’re the only two people in the world and no one else is around ━ no one to gawk at either one of them, or undress them with their eyes.

She wants to tell Emily to drop it, mostly because they’re supposed to be having such a nice family night at her parents’ house, but, before she can open her mouth or lessen her hardened demeanor, the brunette walks past her, heading in the opposite direction of the parking lot. Alison frowns, confused and emotionally exhausted, as her body slowly turns to see Emily walking over to the bleachers and dropping her bag onto the ground again.

“Aren’t we going to see your parents?” Alison’s annoyance doesn’t decline, sounding as tired as she feels with her arms remaining crossed against her chest.

“We are,” Emily confirms with a single nod, afterwards tilting her head to the side, “but, first, sit with me.”

“Em━”

“We’re not leaving until you sit here and talk with me,” whatever bit of patience she was holding onto is lost ━ or perhaps she locks it away, just to tell Alison that she’s not afraid of matching her metaphorical coldness, when need be ━ and her eyebrows raise in expectancy.

Reluctance, first and foremost, replies to Emily’s… _demand_? It doesn’t hold up for long, however, coming in the form of Alison’s arms releasing from their self-secured position before they’re swaying at her sides when she walks over to where Emily stands next to the bleachers.

The brunette gives Alison her hand, helping her onto the three-rows-high bench like they’re getting into a horse-drawn carriage, and the blonde slides across the seat to make room for Emily who, after seconds of shifting, gets situated so they’re somewhat facing each other.

Alison looks out at the empty field, everything dark aside from the faint, yellow-ish light coming from multiple sconces on a brick building, meters away from the fenced-in area. She begins to feel cold again, hugging her body with Emily assessing her, acting like she’s trying to read the blonde without asking any of her (obviously existing) questions. Alison can tell she wants to voice some of them, her peripherals watching Emily rub her lips together with her face sometimes contorting in decision, and she’s almost at the point of telling the girl to spit it out when the brunette, on her own accord, asks a general question.

“Is there something else bothering you?” it comes through a whisper, as kind and caring as ever, and Alison wants to break down with a quivering heart but, instead, covers up as much anxiousness as she can when her leg begins to bounce. “I can’t help but feel like there’s something else,” she adds, tone lowering even more.

At first, Alison looks away, not wanting to open her mind up because, quite frankly, she knows her worries are silly; she’s fully aware of Emily’s loyalty, and her love, and her devotion, but there’s that small, nagging feeling that, once everything changes between them ━ once the blonde, _herself,_ changes ━ she’ll start to rethink everything they’ve been through, like the brunette will realize that maybe she needs to live a different life, or a slower-paced one.

No matter how many grand-stated looks Emily has given her since they went to that appointment, or invited that new feeling into their collective life… what if it’s not enough? What if there’s still some doubt hidden in the girl’s mind that this isn’t who she is, or what she wants to do with her future?

Alison swallows hard, knowing how ridiculous it sounds, even if she’s just merely thinking it at this point. This is _Emily_ ━ the sweet-smelling, warm-brown-eyed stranger that hasn’t changed the way she looks at Alison since the very first time they oddly met, and the girl she mutually fell in love with after they both spilt their hearts and minds into the open air with vulnerabilities and exposed, inner layers that, in the end, could’ve been trampled ━ especially during that one night.

The night when Alison vowed she’d try to be more open, and like last week when she promised she’d stop filtering herself as long as Emily did the same.

_“Maybe we should just be honest, or attempt to be, when we’re feeling things that are… scary, or just… what we consider to be so straightforward that it’s intimidating.”_

She bows her head, licking her chapped lips as Emily watches her irritation visibly subside.

“I didn’t like how she looked at you…” Alison starts, voice already sinking as her throat clenches, “because I’m afraid you’ll someday look back.”

It earns a frown, being more sympathetic than anything.

Alison continues, “Maybe not at her, but…” and Emily can tell that she’s beginning to choke up, the blonde still not looking at her.

“Why would you think that?” without giving the vast idea too much thought, the brunette’s voice sounds exasperated and struck that Alison would even hint at it, but her conflicted features lessen to that of more sadness and sheer understanding once she watches her girlfriend shrug with her body leaning back, glancing down at her own figure with a pointedness in the way she nonverbally explains her reasoning.

Over the past week, Alison’s pregnancy had become more noticeable ━ not to say it wasn’t expected ━ and, after a struggle or two, the blonde seemingly accepted it with a round of quietness and a half-assed, reassuring _“Yeah, I’m okay”_ that, truly, Emily knew wasn’t sincere. She didn’t want to push it, mostly because she knows how she can’t really speak from experience or help Alison understand what’s happening, no matter how many books she reads, and, in the end, allowed the blonde to settle into her own thoughts.

It didn’t come back up, either, and, now that they’re sitting here with Alison’s walls crumbling, Emily somewhat wishes she had double-checked; she can feel the girl’s insecurities from where she sits, noting that only a sad laugh is missing from the way the blonde gestures at her body as if it’s some exhibit somewhere, and, when she studies evading, blue eyes again, they’re watering with her lower lip quivering.

“Ali…” she leans forward in hopes that she can look into Alison’s eyes, “hey, don’t do that.”

The blonde shifts her jaw in a desperate attempt to stop her lip from quivering harder, but, either way, her tears spill over before she can blink them away, and they’re trailing down her cheeks without crying too hard.

“Come here,” Emily opens her arm and gestures to herself so Alison will lean against her body, and the blonde is pulled closer once she moves very little.

When she is secure, however, Alison feels her body wanting to shake with an overflow of emotion, closing her eyes and scrunching her nose while leaning against Emily and sulking in the girl’s warmth.

“So much is going to change. _I’m_ going to change, much more than before we knew that…” when her eyes open, they widen for a second, slamming shut soon afterwards. “I’ve already started. I’ve tried to ignore it, but I can’t anymore.”

“I’m not going to say you’re wrong, Alison, but that’s not a bad thing, and it doesn’t mean it’s driving me to look at anyone else,” as her cheek leans against the blonde’s head, she rubs her arm, both providing comfort and heated friction. “I love you,” she says through a smile. “I love you for you. I don’t love, or want, or need anyone else. Not now, not ever.”

With a sniffle, Alison backs up to look at her, Emily doing the same so she can smile at and gesture to her girlfriend.

“This is who I love, and who I want, and who I need. And, if you want to talk physically…” with a cheekiness to her motions, Emily’s eyes roam Alison’s body, “you know I’d make time, any day of any week, to bring you into the bedroom and make you feel loved,” she allows herself to be blunt despite their lack of “getting physical” as of late, and, when she hears the blonde laugh, her heart flutters before continuing.

“You may feel insecure, or like you’re not your true self, but I _will_ love you no matter what,” Emily’s next statement comes with unwavering conviction. “This figure is just a reminder of life. _New_ life. It’s something that makes me love you more, if I’m being honest,” a small grin comes with her words. “You’re _real_.”

Alison stares at her, a smile rounding her rosy cheeks.

“No matter what changes you go through, and no matter how much you think I’ll change my mind… I love you and everything you are,” she finishes, still looking at her girlfriend with a smile that doesn’t fade.

Slowly yet surely, Alison slides impossibly closer and hugs her, whispering with underlying apology, “You even love how snappy I get?”

“It keeps me on my toes, that’s for sure,” with a “yikes” face, Emily raises her eyebrows as Alison pulls away, rolling her eyes.

They mutually lean in for a kiss, the embrace being light and hardly felt when their lips are practically numb, but Alison makes sure to deepen it with her hand coming up to cup Emily’s cheek. She feels the warmth return to the brunette’s skin beneath her palm, the sensation also spreading to their mouths and where Emily’s hand rests on her thigh without daring to move anywhere, being stone-like.

The lack of motion causes Alison to think about how different they’ve been, constantly musing that the appointment brought a new identity to their relationship, but she never exactly realized that it stopped them from lacking restraint when it came to physical activities. Now, most times, they find themselves cuddling up, watching TV, or doing household chores, work, or taking walks together. Sure, they've gotten heated on the couch ━ usually a result of Alison’s teasing finally becoming too much to ignore, or sometimes an outcome of Emily’s hands wandering a bit too high to be considered a leg massage after that ━ but, each time, they end up snuggled together while mindlessly discussing nothing in particular.

It’s enjoyable, Alison muses, but sometimes she just feels the need to know if there’s still that spark between them, hoping it didn’t die with the way they fell into a new pit of potential family life and scenarios that some people deem “boring” or “typical”; she doesn’t want to be one of those lackluster couples that rarely have time to act like moonstruck lovers, or silly, smitten teeangers, solely because they’re too busy holding up their family. She wants… what’s the word?

Passion.

She feels Emily’s fingertips twitch against the fabric clung to her thigh, finally putting some space between their mouths even though their lips already feel bruised from getting lost in each other within such a short amount of time. They don’t linger far, though, and she bites her lower lip with a devious glint about how she tilts her head to the side.

“Well,” she smirks, flirting with a low, sultry tone, “you can’t bring me to the bedroom right now, but you could drag me behind the bleachers.”

Despite the short wave of nervousness, Emily gets a certain sparkle in her eye, almost like she doesn’t exactly care about the repercussions of if they were to get caught, and Alison’s eyes drift to her lips.

“Really?” the brunette finally asks, voice quiet but solid, sounding ready as long as Alison is.

It gives Alison the answer she was looking for, knowing they’re still that handsy couple with a drive to warm each other in the outside coldness of a fall night, despite the circumstances surrounding their relationship and how it’s become that commitment she’s been looking for ━ the start of that family she’s had her sights set on for years.

“No,” Alison laughs while shaking her head, standing up with Emily frowning from where she’s still seated, “we have to go see your parents.”

Her girlfriend makes a face, simply wanting to get Alison into her car but remain parked after texting her parents that they’ll have to postpone the evening. She can tell, when she peers up to see Alison smirking at her, that she’s been caught daydreaming about what she’d like to do ━ what she’s been admittedly missing ━ but she’s not given the chance to linger on the sexual concepts and ideas any longer, being pulled to her feet and dragged down the bleachers step by step.

 

X X X

  


The sporadic-patterned, somewhat-age-arranged wall of photos within the house’s narrow hallway grabs Alison’s attention, standing a few feet from the scattered memories as an admirable, reserved grin lingers across her mouth.

She’s been stuck in the same spot along the wood floor for minutes now, simply letting each and every, young version of Emily sink into her memory in hopes of retaining the girl’s adolescent face. Her cheeks were fuller, eyes still full of life with a similar, beaming smile ━ in most pictures, at least ━ and Alison can’t help but feel the corners of her lips turn upward when her heart flutters at the thoughts and ideas that flow through her mind.

Like this moment of plain, self-relaxation and deep imagination regarding what they’ll partake in during the future, recent picturizations pop into her mind when thinking back on the evening, also supported by Emily’s laugh floating over to her ears while the brunette helps her dad clean up from dinner, in the kitchen.

It’s all been sweet and homey, giving her a small flicker of what the future will look like for them, in a family sense. Quite frankly, tonight has opposed each and every dinner she’s ever joined her own family for, not only because they rarely came together for holidays, but because, when they did, nothing ever went to plan ━ and not in the “I accidentally blew up the turkey, in the oven” kind of way. No, Alison smiles; tonight has actually been relieving, primarily due to the welcomeness that Emily’s parents provided her with since the get-go.

When they arrived, Alison’s nerves were sticking around at a solid distance (yet ready to pounce, at any moment), but, once she was captivated by the way Mrs. Fields decided to decorate the house ━ not that she knows if she does this year-round, or what ━ with what looked to be twinkling lights and a cinnamon type of atmosphere that felt like a hug from someone truly adored, her uneasiness lessened and stayed in the back of her mind. It made her feel even better when Mrs. Fields approached her for a hug  ━ like the woman’s husband, earlier ━ completely passing Emily who didn’t seem to mind being embraced, second.

Dinner was great, also, not only because the food was delicious, but because it felt as though there were no rifts between them ━ like Emily hadn’t spilt that shaky information to them, just weeks ago. In fact, a few times, the topic was even briefly touched upon, an example being when the young couple shared their actual, Thanksgiving-day plans with Mr. and Mrs. Fields, and Pam was the first to approach the topic.

_“I’m sorry I’m breaking tradition,”_ Emily had given her parents a sad smile, Alison mirroring it even though it was mostly directed at her girlfriend because, honestly, she could tell that the brunette wished they could somehow attend both get-togethers on the same day.

_“Don’t be sorry,”_ Wayne comforted, raising his chin a bit right before his wife cut in with a hinting yet kinda-smug comment of her own.

_“I’m sure you’ll be making a family tradition of your own pretty soon.”_

They couldn’t deny it, nor did they want to. Instead, Emily and Alison reacted with blushing cheeks ━ more so the blonde than her counterpart ━ before they shared a look that was a tad more questionative on the brunette’s behalf, biting her lower lip before turning to her parents.

_“Speaking of…”_

The recently discovered piece of “twin” information got a beaming smile from both Mr. and Mrs. Fields, and Alison, for a moment, thought they’d get up with ecstatic attitudes to hug both of them, but she felt calmer when they stayed sitting down and only made small talk about it ━ _very_ small talk.

At the time, Emily and Alison turned to each other, their gazes giving them a familiar, fuzzy feeling as it did when they were first starting out as a couple, like they traveled back in time and were two, immature lovers with strong desires to break the reforming tinge of awkwardness. In that moment, Alison suddenly realized how the notion of twins still hadn’t sunk in for either one of them, and, when the thought occured, her breath halted ━ not in that of distress, but a mild form of shock, and similar to an oncoming revelation that’ll be touched upon briefly time and time again until it finally smacks into them with brute force, especially since they haven’t told their friends the news yet.

Alison’s lips part at the knowledge that she’ll be constantly confronting the realization, feeling a sigh exit her body.

“She was cute, wasn’t she?” taking the blonde out of her woes, Pam walks up beside the girl, smiling before turning to the wall of photos and admiring them, just the same.

“That’s an understatement,” Alison exhales with a laugh, now not being able to stop herself from fully breaking into a smile.

Her eyes scan the plethora of memories again, some holding portrayals of Emily with a few of her teeth missing as a young girl, and others of her doing random activities, or holding up school awards, etc. She has to bow her head from feeling overwhelmingly sentimental, imagining what the twins are going to look like, and if she’s having boys, girls, or one of each. Her body relaxes, peering up again while lacking the former wave of sheer, tangible happiness and reddened cheeks.

“I don’t know if Emily told you about her visit from a few weeks ago, or _what_ she told you about it,” with a certain timidity, Mrs. Fields begins again, briefly turning to Alison whose mouth falls into a straight line. “I didn’t fully understand, that day. What you two are going through, I mean,” the woman offers a cryptic grin. “We already knew how much she adores you, and how happy she is, but I guess we━actually, _I_ ━I was still…”

“Concerned?” the blonde notes her struggle, trying to finish the sentence with a tone that sounds more quizzical and unsure than anything ━ cautious, maybe.

“I wouldn’t say _concerned_ ,” her voice sounds airy, squinting her eyes and thinking before turning to the blonde again. “We know you treat her well, Alison. She wouldn’t be with you, if you didn’t. I guess I just couldn’t put away the thought that she’s still a kid, herself. To me, I suppose I kept seeing her as this little girl, even when she told us the news.”

Pam’s eyes drift back to the pictures, both of them zoning in on a photo of five- or six-year-old Emily holding up a home-drawn sketch with what looks like crayons, beaming.

The older woman continues, “She’s _not_ that little girl, though, and watching you two throughout the evening… I’m more than okay with her growing up,” she smiles. “As long as she’s safe and happy.”

Next to her, Alison feels grateful for the way she’s handling everything, also trying to put her feet in the woman’s shoes because, yeah, she’s sure she’d be taking this situation a bit differently if it were her child. She nods to no one in particular, taking a large breath while staring at the wall.

“I’m sure you’ll have that bond with your babies. They’ll always be your babies,” Mrs. Fields chuckles with a reminiscent smile. “No matter how old they get.”

Alison nods with sealed lips, bowing her head and letting her shoulders relax before peering up and looking at Emily’s mother who continues assessing the pictures without paying much attention to the way she’s being stared at.

“I’ll always take care of her,” Alison whispers, getting the woman’s attention. “I hope you know that.”

Pam smiles, “I know you will.”

The following silence is comfortable, Alison strangely wanting to hug Mrs. Fields with a taste of family love and respect. She doesn’t, however, because she’s never been one to take those kinds of risks, particularly with her parents ━ and maybe it’s just because she isn’t sure how to truly act around relatives, or those whom she looks at as family members.

“If you need anything at _any_ point, no matter what, you can always come here, or call me,” when Mrs. Fields turns back to her, Alison gives her a genuine smile.

“Thank you.”

The woman nods, eyes flickering over to the pictures, and, this time, she takes a step forward and reaches for a frame. Alison, for the first time, notices a tucked-away, smaller picture out from behind the glass, only sitting on the wooden outside in a way that makes sure it doesn’t brisk away when people walk by. It’s pinched between Pam’s fingers within seconds, presented to Alison with an all-too-knowing smile and a soft “Here.”

Alison looks at it, then up at her, inaudibly asking if she can really have it even though she can’t help but continue grinning without voicing what she’s thinking ━ and, turns out, she didn’t have to, anyway.

“I know how fun it is to imagine what they’ll look like before you really know,” Mrs. Fields makes sure she sounds wise and mildly prying, smirking. “I saw the look on your face. You can’t hide it from someone who did the same once before.”

She tries to hide her face slightly, not wanting to blush so heavily when she’s been caught red-handed, but her tinge of embarrassment diminishes once she’s spoken to again, Pam’s voice quieter and much more caring.

“I’m sure they’ll be beautiful,” she smiles, not hesitating to hug Alison once she sees the heavy emotions swimming in her eyes. “I can’t wait to meet them, sweetheart.”

The blonde makes sure she reciprocates the endearment ounce by ounce, thoroughly enjoying the hug as it feels like she’s being taken care of by plenty of people in her life, a sense of completion coursing through her veins.

It’s not broken too quickly, leaving them to hug for another round of seconds before Pam pulls back slowly, giving her a motherly instinct type of kiss on the side of her head before walking away from Alison who, for a short moment, lets her body drain of its overly emotional wave until it’s fleeting enough for her to follow the woman back into the living room.

After another glance at the small photo she’s been given, it’s slid into her pocket, focusing back on seeing Emily walking into the living room with her father, from the other direction. Emily gives her a smile ━ one which she returns, easily ━ as they’re sitting next to each other on the couch, the older couple moving to the other side of the room as Mrs. Fields digs for something in a nearby cabinet, her husband only chuckling after he hears a small, verbal struggle revolving around how nothing is organized anymore.

Emily studies Alison’s features and portrayed expression as they sit, the blonde staring off into the room with an absentmindedness in her eyes, though the brunette also sees the blue color clouded by a sort of mist, like she was seconds away from crying pretty recently. It makes her squint, half in worry but also due to feeling out of the loop, but Alison doesn’t seem upset, in any light.

When she finally feels a warm-brown gaze against her cheek, Alison turns to Emily, locking eyes with the girl and giving her an authentic smile that’s the least bit lying, however it’s not enough to answer the brunette’s underlying question that, within seconds, is mouthed, either way.

“You okay?”

She nods with a growing smile, shifting closer and leaning her head on Emily’s shoulder for what feels like two seconds before the older couple is approaching, Mr. Fields setting a torn-up, bent Scrabble box on the coffee table in front of them, a cheeky grin on his face.

Alison straightens her back, amused while Emily snickers with intent to follow the noise with a short-lived groan.

“It’s tradition,” her mother almost sings out, matter-of-factly, before Emily can really protest or make an excuse to prematurely leave the house.

“Well, at least it’s not Pictionary,” Alison mutters, shaking her head and shifting on the couch so she can slide to the edge and get prepared to play.

Emily turns to her girlfriend, knowing there’s an underlying story coming with the proclamation, and she’s visibly intrigued to hear it with her head tilted and features interested, eyebrows raised.

“Why, you don’t like Pictionary?” Wayne voices his own question, mouth tugged into a smirk as he sits down across from them, his wife doing the same.

“Pictionary doesn’t like me,” her eyes go wide with the explanation, Mr. and Mrs. Fields laughing at her bluntness.

“It’s okay. Scrabble doesn’t like Em,” again, the older man snickers and teases his daughter, Emily throwing him pointed, glaring eyes.

“I won, last time,” she tries to defend, voice borderline squeaky.

“That’s because your mother Googled the word I put down and found out that I misspelled it,” as he leans forward, he deadpans, tilting his head to the side as if to remind Emily of what happened.

“I was curious!” Pam intervenes with her interruption cracking in the middle. “It looked wrong, and spelling isn’t your strong-suit, dear,” with her comment dying down, she looks to her husband through a bowed head.

“Clearly, Emmy inherited that from me,” he snickers, and Alison snorts at how often he jabs at Emily ━ the first few times coming at the dinner table, telling small stories about the brunette, ranging from childhood to recent months.

“Don’t give her any other reason to make fun of me,” Emily all but whines, gesturing in Alison’s direction.

“Oh, come on. I don’t tease you _that_ much,” the blonde argues, turning and having to stifle a smile by sealing her lips.

“It’s your favorite pastime,” her face drops, not even entertaining the thought of Alison’s side of things being correct.

Alison presses her tongue to her inner cheek, their miniature conversation only broken when Emily’s parents begin gathering up the board game’s pieces once the dated, wooden holders fall out of a small, fabricated bag with an accompanying letter-square or two tumbling to the floor.

“So, is it your mom and I versus you two?” Wayne asks while setting up his area, glancing up at Emily and Alison as the brunette makes a face, automatically side-eying her girlfriend through taunting and faux annoyance at the idea.

“Okay, _I_ should be the one making that face at you if you’re the one who stinks at this game,” Alison catches Emily’s look, as well, narrowing her eyes and turning to the girl with playfulness mixed with her normal, feisty attitude that Wayne laughs at. “You’d be lucky to have me on your team.”

“So, I say yes,” Pam answers for them, eyebrows raised while facing her husband. “I’d like to see how they work together, wouldn’t you?”

When Wayne quirks an interested eyebrow at his daughter and her girlfriend, Alison and Emily suddenly feel like they’re being tested, their postures straightening with the blonde clearing her throat. They can’t run away from it, either, and honestly don’t really want to; maybe this will be a good test ━ even if it’s just a simple board game ━ to see what their individual strengths are, what words they choose to spell out, how they go about tactics, and if they have what it takes to make things work as a team.

Alison smirks at the small bit of analogy, slowly turning back to Emily and tilting her head to the side, eyes still squinted when she asks, “How ‘bout it?” with a spur-the-moment flirtatiousness that’s only picked up on by the brunette who knows how her words _really_ operate.

Emily, at the tone, narrows her eyes to match Alison’s, but her demeanor softens as they’re not being watched anymore by the older couple who converse about something, off to the side. She feels lighter, looking into her girlfriend’s eyes, and she can tell that Alison feels the same, judging by how her features display a growing gentleness.

“Well,” the brunette pauses with a small, nerve-stricken laugh, “we _are_ a team, after all.”

At the reminder, they share a smile that’s weighted yet airy, predictive of what’s to come, in a way, while Mrs. Fields’ casual laughter at something her husband does fades into the background, leaving Emily and Alison to picture them being the only two in the room.

It gets a nod, a fresh round of undisputed decision coming with the way Alison mouths the next, four words.

“It’s you and me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, yes; a small nod to the dreadful phone-call from 7B ━ but this is fluffier.
> 
> So, we've got some shit to discuss today. Let's talk about Jealous Ali's appearance, first. It's clear that Alison's insecurities are coming out. There's a vast variety of things factoring into this, not just the obvious, though. Part of it is that they're somewhat at a standstill in their relationship, not in a bad way, but, like Alison thinks, their spark has been lacking. They're settling together. As they get further into her pregnancy, they've become a "boring" couple ━ which I don't necessarily want to say, but it's just so much normality due to her pregnancy whereas she wishes they could act like a mindless, young couple who just fell in love with their whole future ahead of them. Like I've said time and time again: their life together is coming quickly, not to say it's fucking anything up, but it's creating a bit of friction between what they wish they could do, and what they're able to do. This is where they're supposed to be, definitely; they're supposed to be this couple that's just starting out while also starting a life together. If you believe in destiny, then this is theirs. So, in a way, this friction is coming from a double-life type of feel ━ a double life of being twenty-something year-olds who are happily dating, but also grown-ups that have to brace themselves for a big task.
> 
> Emily's response to Alison's jealousy was pretty good, I think, even if it was a little rocky to start the conversation. Something she says at one point is pretty important, too: "You may feel insecure, or like you're not your true self, but I will love you no matter what." This pretty much goes with what Aria said to Alison in chapter nine about how Emily sees Alison for who she is, despite any changes, even if she, herself, feels different than her normal. I think it's nice to have that idea reinforced by Emily.
> 
> Either way, who enjoyed seeing a spark of jealousy? I sure as hell miss it everyday.
> 
> A small-ish note: We're going to have this giant cloud of sexual frustration moving forward, and it's meant to mirror the start of their relationship when they were building up to when they finally fell into bed together for the first time ━ you know, like when I said it changed things and we traveled into a new territory, the next morning. That's just a heads-up.
> 
> Moving on: What about the Mrs. Fields/Alison moment? I wanted Alison to have a type of motherly figure in this because I think that's important ━ especially during a time like this. Sure, Alison's parents are around, but, as you can tell, they're not on the best of terms ━ not that they're on bad terms, either, but it's still ungood. I also wanted Pam to express why she reacted how she did when Emily first told her, even if it wasn't horribly. I think her viewpoint was valid, mostly because I don't think any parent wants to see their kid grow up ━ no matter how grown up they are already, literally. It's nice to see she accepted what's happening, though, and accepts Alison, as a whole.
> 
> Additionally, Alison saying, "I'll always take care of her," is also a neat little tidbit because we've constantly heard Emily telling Alison that she'll take care of her/the babies, and I like to think Alison took that phrase outta Emily's book.
> 
> Lastly, they still haven't really retained the information of twins yet. I told you it'd take some time, and I'm honoring that; it's a big pill to swallow, especially because they'd been thinking how they'll be a family, the two of them plus a baby, but two babies is such an experience for a couple that's, AGAIN, just starting out. Perhaps the notion of believing there are two kids is also intimidating because it amplifies the fact that they still haven't openly coined the term "our family," and it's time to confront those issues. It's seriously time, guys.
> 
> So, that's one Thanksgiving gathering down. Next time we meet, we'll have the second, Thanksgiving gathering with everyone, and that's part of an anticipated (well, for me), double-update (you know, the kind where there's only a two-day hiatus instead of four). Get excited.
> 
> I'll be back on Tuesday.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good day, lovelies!
> 
> You know what’s obnoxious? Appointments. I hate appointments. Primarily doctor appointments, secondly dentist appointments. Why am I saying this, you ask? Because I have a damn appointment in... *checks the watch I'm not wearing* ...a little over an hour. 
> 
> *takes deep breath*
> 
> Okay, so, let's get right to it: This chapter may be a little different in terms of seriousness versus playfulness, mostly in the “sexual tension” department, and I claim that because (and this is a reiteration from a few author’s notes ago) we’re going to be mirroring chapter nine to chapter ten. That should give you a small spoiler (so plan your reading accordingly). With that being said, this will also be a small wrap-up when it comes to their groups of friends because the final few chapters of the story’s main part are Emison-central with no side characters (aside from flashbacks). We’ll see them once more in the epilogue, however.
> 
> ANYWAY! Before I spoil everything…

“It’s not my fault,” Ezra defends himself with a laugh, slumped against the arm of the couch while Aria shoots him a pointed look. “It’s the tryptophan that’s making me tired.”

“ _Or_ you’re just a bad host,” his fiancée pokes fun at him, literally jabbing at his outer knee as he denies it with furrowed eyebrows and another chuckle.

“I wouldn’t go that far.”

“You almost fell asleep at dinner,” Toby argues, laughing hard with Caleb making his following addition to the conversation, eyebrows raised while smiling and saying, “In the potatoes, if you want to get technical.”

“I had a tiring night yesterday,” his guard remains strong without crumbling, shrugging one shoulder while Aria begins to get up from sitting on the floor as the recently used Pictionary station is cluttered with papers and every other piece of “equipment.”

“Okay, now _that’s_ something we didn’t need to know,” CeCe mutters into the rim of her drink, taking another sip as Alison can’t help but seal her lips at the image evoked by her friend’s immature rebuttal, and Spencer, a few feet away, smirks at the underlying teasing directed at a girl who, quite frankly, is looked at to be the most innocent within the group ━ the automatic impression she got of Aria when they first double-dated.

“He was at work,” Aria rolls her eyes with a tiny smirk crossing her mouth, fully standing nearby and halfheartedly cleaning up before thinking to herself and softly adding, “for the most part.”

“Ew,” the tall blonde gets more than she bargained for whilst taunting the girl, Aria happily leaving the room with Hanna, Mona, Spencer, Emily, and Alison snickering at CeCe’s grimace.

Once she’s gone, the conversations trail off with Ezra, Toby, and Caleb discussing work and the football game playing on the nearby, flat-screen TV, leaving everyone else to gather their bearings and stretch from sitting around the “gameboard” for what feels like hours.

When they first got situated around the room ━ Alison still standing even though Emily cutely patted the seat next to her ━ the blonde saw the game’s contents spilt onto the table’s chestnut-brown surface, immediately groaning with a tint of whining dotted within the reaction, pointing her ultimate distress toward Aria who beamed with a sense of deviousness in the way she flashed her friend a conniving smile.

_“What’s with everyone and old games on Thanksgiving, anyway?”_ Alison finally sat down with a grump, the only thing missing from the small tantrum being her crossing her arms over her stomach with Emily snickering because of her girlfriend’s distaste with losing ━ especially with knowledge of how she sucks at Pictionary, and, really, how they were destroyed at Scrabble over a week ago.

If it weren’t for Mr. and Mrs. Fields’ hospitality, Alison’s brashly competitive and/or independent side could’ve made an appearance, like when Emily shot her a fauxly disappointed look as a result of the blonde’s rather short word only giving them a good five points, but she was overall content with her time there. It even lead her and Mrs. Fields to message back and forth with lengthy, sometimes important texts — unbeknownst to Emily — while practical, advice-needed ideas swirled in Alison’s head throughout the past week.

Pictionary is nothing like Scrabble, however, and Alison wasn’t looking forward to letting her “art skills” — animated stick figures — roam free for whoever’s team she was assigned to.

Nevertheless, Aria had ended up dismissively replying, _“It’s the ambiance,”_ and Alison couldn’t do much aside from rolling her eyes as CeCe bound into the room with a kiddish, excited squeak before it flattened into that of challenge ━ a reaction that introduced the theory of the taller blonde’s weakness being childhood games that likely derive nostalgia, from Emily’s newfound judgment.

It definitely solidified the tone of the evening, however, particularly because of how everyone gets along so well with little to no debates ━ though Mona and Spencer, regularly, are prone to intentionally provoking each other, wanting to get under one another’s skin as some sort of game that Emily has never understood.

When they first walked up to the house, it appeared as a small, modern-day, Victorian-esque residence with a stark-white outside and different-sized windows that made it all the more charming, Alison beaming at the sight without Emily missing the expression and doing the same for more than one reason. The street was quiet, and conjured a serene, chilled-night feel with the air brisk and overall inviting atmosphere all but dragging them into the house with opened arms. Aria had set up window lights, creating a yellowish glow in each glass pane and a bit below against the home’s white siding, and larger-than-life pumpkins sat on the chipped wood of the front porch as they stepped up to the pastel-colored door with the bag of freshly baked (store-bought) dinner rolls.

The house’s foyer was nothing less than wonderful, and Emily immediately began to wonder how much everything cost for them to create such an exquisite home, but she supposes that Aria’s artistic nature helped a great deal with decorating and setting things up ━ especially with the knowledge that they’d be hosting a large, holiday meal for friends.

Dark floors held their feet against the foundation, not too shiny but not at all scuffed, and the walls smelt of fresh paint with recently redone crown moulding lining both the tops and bottoms of each room, and, on the inside, the residence seemed the least bit small. If anything, Emily wondered if she stepped through a portal leading to a parallel universe with the way an average-sized house grew twice the size in a matter of crossing over the front door’s threshold. She beamed at everything, the appearance of the house only adding to the way her senses went into overdrive when they were hit with a waft of cinnamon-scented, sweet potatoes, gravy, corn, and everything in-between.

Alison, peering over her shoulder to see her girlfriend taking everything in, smiled without disturbing her, only continuing to walk further into the house until she almost ran smack into Hanna who all but threw herself at the other blonde with a firm hug ━ until she remembered the precious cargo that the girl was holding.

_“I’m sorry I almost squished you,”_ she cooed at the dinner rolls, taking them into the kitchen as Alison snickered with Emily somewhere behind her.

She looked over her shoulder again, this time catching brown eyes drifting a little too low to remain casual with their friends around, and her bottom lip was snatched between two of her teeth with that mirrored feeling of lust restricting her throat because, fuck, it’s been _so long_ since they’d━

Her throat is cleared with Emily only glancing toward her, cheeks turning a light shade of red because of the way blue eyes have been darting to her lips for the past five minutes with Hanna sipping her drink nearby, fingers pretending to scroll through her phone.

Internally, Alison wishes she had a better distraction for the night because, as of late, she’s finally begun to feel herself again ━ not to say they’ve really used that to their advantage ━ but, thankfully, before tonight, she’d been able to keep her hands at bay while staying busy. It’s not like she’s afraid to pursue Emily, and she knows that the girl would be more than compliant if she made some sort of advance like usual, but part of her wishes that the brunette would seize an opportunity and trip them into the next, new territory that they’re moving toward ━ especially due to how wholesome the holiday season makes everything feel.

It’s all been so weird, she muses, ever since her ultrasound appointment, leading them into this newfound strangeness that feels all too familiar with how they used to act together ━ like when they had sex for the first time, and Emily was afraid to go too far without daring to voice her concerns; they’re stuck in this shaky type of limbo, getting heated and kissing hard until something fizzles out and they’re looking into each other’s eyes with parted lips and massive weight surrounding what’s happening. She’s thought of the same word, repeatedly, throughout the past week, recanting the term “passion” over and over again with furrowed eyebrows and side-eyes directed at Emily, not knowing if the brunette was stuck in an identical, quizzical state of what they’ve become.

“Need help?” Emily tilts her head to the side, and, immediately, Alison is brought back to the party while finally noticing her girlfriend standing in front of where she sits on the couch, palms turned upward with her arms slightly extended in a caring notion.

She looks around the room to see only the guys and Hanna lingering in the space aside from Emily who stands in front of her, Alison frowning due to apparently getting sucked into her own imagination while everyone scurried away for whatever reason. Her eyes drift upward to Emily within seconds, however, and she smiles before taking the offer, pulling herself up with the help of tender hands until she’s at her feet and pecking her girlfriend on the lips.

After, she lingers only an inch away with Emily’s eyes fluttering shut and ready to kiss Alison again while no one is paying attention, but their small round of privacy is blown away when Hanna interrupts from behind the brunette’s back, invasively (yet provocatively) asking, “So, what are you two up to after this?” as she gets her friend’s full attention with wide eyes that tell her to shut up.

Alison can’t see Emily’s expression, only catching the way her demeanor stiffens with her clasped fingers untangling until their arms are fallen to their respective sides, and she looks past the brunette’s figure to see Hanna smirking before bowing her head when she gets the hint to keep her mouth shut.

Blue eyes narrow in suspicion, squinting even further when Emily almost flat-out refuses to face her after Hanna’s question is unanswered verbally, and she flashes back to when her girlfriend stood in front of her before they left for Aria’s, wearing a cheeky half-grin and mask of seduction while instructing, _“Pack a bag of clothes and whatever else you need. We’re not coming back here tonight.”_

It made her cock her head to the side, but Emily only walked away when the pressure of Alison’s staring became too severe to bite her tongue over, and, upon the direction, the blonde wondered if her girlfriend was becoming a tinge homesick with a desire to sleep at her apartment for a night.

Nevertheless, suspicion remained ━ as it does now ━ and, with a desire to know what’s going on, Alison goes to follow Emily who begins to tail Hanna after she shuffles out of the living room, but she’s stopped when CeCe approaches with a friendly, flirtatious “Alone at last,” that Ezra clears his throat at, the taller blonde rolling her eyes and claiming, “As I was saying…”

Emily crosses into the kitchen while taking deep breaths, only stopping at the very entrance while Aria passes her with a smile. She looks behind her, catching Alison animatedly discussing something with CeCe and, now, Aria, afterwards turning back to see her friends doing the same within the kitchen even though she, herself, flashes back to their most-previous, short conversation in this very room ━ one that was the least bit innocent, and something that exposed her with ease as her friends prove to know her more than she’d like to admit.

_“I still can’t believe you’re going to stay in one of the suites before I do,” Hanna puts on a fauxly offended mask as she lays eyes upon Emily walking into the kitchen, and the brunette, at the squeaked, annunciated tone, looks backward to make sure Alison isn’t anywhere in ear-shot._

_She remembers how hurt Hanna pretended to be when she first received news ━ from her mother ━ that Emily would be renting one of the hotel’s redone, fancy suites on Thanksgiving night, a topic simply brought up in common conversation until the blonde got off the phone and immediately called her friend with a sharp, playful lecture and small tantrum._

_“I also can’t believe you’re going to have sex in one of the suites before I do,” with a pout, the girl continues, crossing her arms with Emily’s face dropping._

_With mild disagreement, Emily tilts her head to the side, “Not everything is about sex.”_

_“Don’t give me that,” a chuckle comes paired with the rebuttal, Hanna easing her head forward with squinted eyes that can see straight through her friend._

_Emily, in response, matches her body language and leans forward with her palms on the center island, ready to scratch and claw her way into defending herself with a sturdy tone._

_“I only rented the room so we could get away for a night. It’s not necessarily to have sex in,” her voice lowers. “I just figured it’d be nice to get away after finding out something so massive. I’ve been wanting to go on a mini-vacation━a night’s stay,_ at least _━since the appointment.”_

_“You mean, to celebrate?” Spencer butts in, teasing heavily with a scandalousness about her appearance, and Emily inconspicuously nips at her lower lip._

_“Yeah, I guess.”_

_Instantly, Mona begins to shake her head with a gentle laugh, approaching the brunette-in-denial with a babyish tone and coddling attitude, almost ready to reach out and pinch the girl’s cheek like she’s a young child._

_“Oh, sweet, little, naive Emily,” she smiles, settling on patting her shoulder before walking away and out of the room with Hanna who snorts until they’re both gone._

_The only reaction it derives is Emily frowning, looking to Spencer as if asking for some kind of help or reassurance, but the other brunette laughs with an incredulous expression, turning away before she’s tilting her head to the side._

_“As much as I hate agreeing with their brash comments, they’re right,” her shoulders tighten and slump in a giant shrug. “I think you had underlying intentions when you booked the room.”_

_“I just want to relax,” now, her defense is entirely crumbled and weak to the point of being shattered and nonexistent, posture stiffened without being able to lie to Spencer because of how guilty she gets from fibbing to someone so knowledgeable._

_“Mm,” Spencer smirks with a half-assed eye-roll, dully humming and ready to walk away as her back is now turned toward the entrance of the kitchen, giving her the ability to lean toward Emily’s ear. “Don’t relax her too hard. She’s carrying your children.”_

After that, she was stunned with an agape mouth and nothing to say, Spencer’s words coming with a smugness that’s a taste of her normal persona even though it was completely uncensored ━ completely _un-Spencer-like_ ━ with a brute matter-of-factly nature, her friend leaving the kitchen so it was only her until Ezra came in and asked, _“Emily, are you okay?”_ with genuine concern.

“Are you going to stand there for the rest of the night, or are you going to come over here so we can hug you again?” Spencer throws to Emily who still lingers in the doorway of the kitchen, getting the brunette to smile with rounded cheeks before she’s approaching and being bombarded with three pairs of friendly, warm arms that weren’t quite as emotional when they first found out.

“We’re so happy for you guys,” Hanna shares the sentiment, and Mona soon adds her own excitement.

“I still can’t believe I get to spoil _two_ babies,” they can detect the fake tears in her voice, Emily chuckling as they’re embraced in a messy, group hug full of tangled limbs and a forced awkwardness as they each pretend that it’s too overbearing of a gesture.

Alison’s news — _their_ news — came at dinner, the two never before telling their friends of the appointment’s results, but only that it went well and both the blonde and “the baby” are healthy, save the news that there were actually two babies. At the table, CeCe was probably the most shocked ━ to the point of Aria asking if she’s okay, albeit with a snicker at the girl’s initial reaction ━ but everyone responded with happiness and congratulations, Emily’s heart swelling as her friends could tell that the couple was elated to bring two kids into the world.

“Who could’ve imagined this kinda thing happening months ago,” Hanna more so muses than asks the group as they untangle, a grin still curving her mouth with her cheeks rosy from both alcohol and the night’s incredibility.

Emily smiles at the underlying question, eyes drifting off to the side of the room as she tries to imagine what life would be like if this information never popped up ━ if she had never opened Alison’s second card thanking her for what she had done at the pharmacy. That also brings up a fresh feeling, mostly because she realizes that they could be here, right now, together, without the information that she’s the babies’ biological mother, and they would’ve never found that out if Alison hadn’t taken the time to write her a thank-you card ━ _either_ of them.

Alison’s effort surely made a huge mark on their relationship ━ something perhaps deeper than she ever intended ━ and, suddenly, Emily is beyond excited for the night ahead, always hoping to match the blonde’s affection ounce by ounce. She smiles bigger, needing to duck her head to hide her smitten, misty-eyed features that, within seconds, clear up so she can continue the conversation with her friends ━ not that they’d necessarily judge her for the overwhelming emotion, and they’d (most likely) understand. Just like they always do.

“It’s not something that happens every day, that’s for sure,” Mona adds a bit of comedy to the topic, snickering with raised eyebrows that stress her own words couldn’t be any more true.

“It’s weird, though,” Emily looks between them before her gaze lowers to the floor, that same, never-disappearing grin across her mouth. “I can’t picture anything _other_ than… what’s happening now,” she scans their individual features with a childish attitude, like a kid opening presents on Christmas with that type of non-dimmable sparkle in their eye.

“Would it be weirder if I told you that I can’t, either?” Spencer doesn’t only reassure Emily that her feelings are valid, but genuinely senses that this is where they’re supposed to be, and how everything is seemingly falling into place, little by little.

They all nod in acceptance, a certain lightness about the way they silently agree with Spencer, and everyone relaxes into the conversation with ease while collectively, internally realizing that they couldn’t have ended up with better friends, at the end of the day ━ something Alison shares a feeling of, in the other room.

In the living room, pulled away from Ezra, Toby, and Caleb who continuously laugh about random shit and the night’s events including the seemingly endless game playing on the television, Alison, CeCe, and Aria stand around with smiles, despite the invasive blonde and cheeky brunette poking at their friend who can’t help but grin when she’s being picked on.

“Are you more excited, or nervous?” CeCe asks, narrowing her eyes with a drive to know what her friend is feeling about the twin situation.

“Uh━m,” the hum climbs an octave, eventually making a modest “yikes” face that’s kind of shy, “a little of both.”

Her friends wait for a further explanation, mostly based off Alison’s mask of deliberation as if she’s thinking about how to word what she’s harping on.

“I never expected it, you know? I’m still━ _we’re_ still━letting it sink in, or I _assume_ it still hasn’t hit us yet,” Alison side-eyes the kitchen where Emily still lingers with her friends, a radiant smile on her face. “At least, for me, it hasn’t.”

The broken-up openness is ended with the blonde’s voice sinking into a whisper, looking down to the floor with a nervousness that’s both frustrating and interesting, the butterflies in her stomach making a random appearance with cause to make her wonder why they’re there, in the first place.

CeCe and Aria smirk and show an admirable type of sympathy, respectively, ending with the brunette giving her two cents with a quiet, encouraging “You two have some discussing to do, then” that Alison wants to roll her eyes at even though she leaves a wiped-out, exhausted happiness on her face.

“Don’t we always?” it nearly comes out as a whine, tilting her chin upward because she wishes they’d both stop being so nervous and tiptoe-y about everything deeper regarding their relationship; where the hell did their “let’s just be open with each other, no matter what” mindset wander off to?

“Communication is key,” CeCe briefly points to her, afterwards crossing her arms and putting away her raised-eyebrow facade so she can get down to the nitty-gritty. “So is sex,” her blunt words get Alison’s attention ━ albeit, again, she wants to whine at the topic. “Speaking of, have you celebrated this news yet? I feel like that’s something you’d do.”

It’s more so digging than questionative, CeCe using her assumption as a trap to pick apart Alison’s sex-life due to the way her friend has been drifting off during conversations, longingly staring across the room, and having her eyes dart to Emily’s lips in the most-obvious fashion. She’s chuckled a few times, snorted once ━ and, that time, Alison gave her wide-eyes and a frown that told her to keep her snickering to herself.

In the current situation, Alison only raises her eyebrows, clearly interested in the idea as she presses her tongue to her inner cheek and looks away from CeCe who immediately catches on ━ Aria also wanting to hear her thoughts.

“So, it _is_ something you’d do,” the taller blonde accuses once more, smug until her smirk drops with seriousness replacing the deviousness. “Why haven’t you? I’m sure she’d be able to fuck with that idea.”

With CeCe giggling at her own pun, Aria rolling her eyes with a smile, Alison mimics the brunette but it’s far less amused as distress gradually replaces the lightness upon her face, her frustration beginning to pick at her limbs as she glances into the kitchen to see Emily taking a sip of some drink and licking her lips to further taste it, afterward.

“You know, I’m still kinda shocked about how… _hands-on_ you’ve been,” Aria thinks aloud, flashing back to the time they had a lengthy conversation in her classroom about Alison wanting to take the next step in her relationship with Emily. “I thought you were all ‘no touchy’ for a while. What ever happened to that?”

“Emily happened,” CeCe doesn’t waste time pointing out the obvious, and Alison doesn’t care to deny it.

“Yeah, it’s…” she exhales heavily, “getting out of hand.”

“What do you mean?”

“I just _really_ hope I get out of this stage of random, hormone spikes soon,” now, as they listen to her with full attention, Alison doesn’t care to deny how tense she’s been in relation to how she and Emily have apparently hit a standstill when it comes to being sexually intimate, ultimately leading her to be honest via ranting.

She continues, “They come and go, and stay, and leave, and they’re always horribly timed. I was practically sexting her while in a meeting the other day.”

While her friends giggle, she remembers how pink her cheeks had probably appeared to everyone else sitting around the table at the school board meeting, Alison hiding her phone and sending Emily messages hoping to seduce the girl into making something happen once they both got back to the apartment, but, of course, that evening, all she wanted to do was cuddle up due to cold weather and simply enjoy her time with the brunette before drifting in and out of sleep whilst on the couch.

“It’s been _two weeks_ since your ultrasound, though. Surely you’ve had time,” the other blonde eases her head forward while talking with her hands, soon pausing with Alison about to respond until the girl continues, “and her birthday was only a few days ago. Didn’t you celebrate that after we left?”

Alison nibbles at the corner of her bottom lip, recalling how focused she was on making her girlfriend’s birthday perfect that she left out the possibility of pleasing her in the way only she can. She doesn’t think Emily had minded, however, because of how happy and thankful the brunette was after their friends left ━ despite how she originally protested Alison’s plan to make her birthday a huge thing, only wanting it to be the two of them until everyone showed up, and, after that, she couldn’t shake the smile from her face.

Afterwards, once they were alone, Alison cleaned up while Emily relaxed ━ as per the blonde’s instruction ━ and, by the time she was finished, they were both wiped and ready to sleep.

How boring, Alison now muses while shifting her jaw.

“No, we didn’t,” the girl sighs. “We just relaxed and watched TV.”

CeCe frowns, Aria waiting for something more to bite on in terms of a notion to question, and Alison continues.

“We’ve had time, and things have gotten… _heated_ , but then we just go to bed, and… I don’t know. My back-and-forth attitude has probably killed the mood more than I’d like to admit,” she sneers at her own mood swings spiking throughout the past two weeks. “I guess I’m waiting for her to make an actual move. Right now, I feel like we’re just… we’ve settled into things. I don’t want to say we’re boring, but sometimes what we do━or _don’t_ do━is boring.”

“Aw, like an elderly couple,” the other blonde beams with the comment she knows Alison will make a face at, proving to be correct when she’s given a glare.

“Wow, that appointment really _did_ change things between you guys,” Aria comments with more sympathy than the other girl, but the same amount of amusement and adoration for the way things have gone with her friend’s relationship.

“Tell me about it,” Alison raises her eyebrows. “Besides the lack of…” she makes a self-explanatory face, “everything feels so new, and domestic, and… _complete_ , if I’m being honest. Or at least mostly complete.”

“‘Mostly’? What would make it fully complete?”

She rubs her lips together, sealing them tightly.

“You want to be a real family,” she’s accused of with a whisper, Aria smiling, and CeCe trying to get her to say it by coaxing her along. “I know you said it the other day, but you sounded unsure. Nervous, I mean. Are you still feeling too scared to say something?”

“A little,” the admission comes through a breath, “but, once I saw her happiness when we were at the appointment… I knew she felt the same. I still haven’t mentioned it, but I plan to.”

Her friends smile, already aware that Emily is taking Alison away for the night with their unwavering, hidden yet smug attitudes because of the way the two are clearly trying to force themselves into lessening their shyness about the topic. _Finally,_ they think.

“I’m tired of being too afraid to talk to her about it when I know I probably shouldn’t be. I trust her, and I know she’s not going to walk away,” she gives herself the slight peptalk, swallowing hard once the words are out. “I think we both know this is where we’re supposed to be. This is… _us_. This is our life.”

They can’t help but give her those same, secondhand-happiness grins until Aria shuffles closer and hugs Alison, the blonde returning the sentiment as they’re reluctantly joined by CeCe who chuckles when she embraces both of them.

Their moment is only broken apart when they hear footsteps approaching, Emily automatically giving Alison shy, sparkling eyes that tell a hidden story of infatuation and the same, overwhelming emotions from minutes ago, in the kitchen.

Alison smiles, taking her hand with a gentleness as their friends somewhat chat beside them, Emily looking into her girlfriend’s eyes and asking, “Ready to go?” ━ a result of internal, selfish reasons of getting the blonde alone because she feels as though they haven’t had a one-on-one moment all night.

“Mhm,” the blonde shuffles an inch or so closer, head tilted.

Emily looks at everyone to make sure no one is paying attention, soon slowly leaning in close without making it too obvious, and asking, “Are you tired?” with a faint grin that, similar to all of this evening, Alison wants to question her for.

“No…” her answer is just as childish, cheeky in a way that holds her own, self-satisfying interventions with her imagination trying to run wild.

Time falls into a sort of slow motion, just making heavy, electric eye contact for what feels like another two minutes until Emily straightens her back and Alison, within seconds, is pulling her toward Aria and the others who have moved further into the room.

“Leaving so soon?” Aria asks while hugging Alison once the blonde finishes putting on her jacket, the short brunette giving Emily a smirk as she stops hugging her friends for a moment.

“Thanks for inviting us,” Alison doesn’t answer her question, but makes a point to show the gratitude she holds for her friends, doing the same when she hugs CeCe with a quiet “I’ll text you.”

“Not tonight, though,” the taller blonde gives her a smug response, Alison shifting her jaw and choosing to ignore it with an oncoming eye-roll.

“Yeah, Em,” Hanna adds onto the other girl’s comment. “Just… have a nice night. A _suite_ night. See what I did, there?” again, Emily gives her wide eyes despite how quiet the whisper was.

“A relaxing night,” Mona snickers, taking the attention away from their friend.

“But don’t forget what I said,” Spencer warns, pointing a finger at Emily with CeCe and Aria snickering at the way the couple’s eyes keep bouncing between whoever’s speaking.

Alison looks at Emily, the brunette straightening her back and clearing her throat before muttering, “Noted,” and walking over to Toby and the rest of their friends so she can follow Alison’s example and hug them.

Once they’re finished, after Emily endures Toby’s bouncing eyebrows and ignores them to the best of her ability, she’s following Alison through the door with the blonde all but scurrying to the car with her arms crossed in front of her due to the declining temperature outside.

Emily unlocks the car immediately, allowing Alison to slide into the passenger’s seat and get situated before she, too, is sitting in the vehicle and rubbing her hands together in order to create some kind of heat.

Alison probably had the same idea, Emily muses, which is why the blonde suddenly turns to her girlfriend and tenderly cups her cheek before dragging their faces together over the center console, kissing her hard without the brunette being able to start the car beforehand.

It’s warm and sweet, Alison’s nails gingerly scraping at the skin beneath her fingertips, and Emily feels herself wanting to sigh into the kiss as it’s beyond satisfying since they hadn’t gotten the chance to have a relatively close moment at any point during the day. They lean closer a time or two, wanting more of each other and the lingering, appearing heat during the short amount of time, but distance is finally put between them by Alison backing up with deep breath and lidded eyes that make their moment seem far longer than it really was ━ more intense, too.

“ _Now_ I’m ready to go,” the blonde chuckles at her own actions and sheer impatience, Emily doing the same and nodding before slightly wiping her mouth with her girlfriend smirking at the motion.

The car is started in no time, both of them wanting to revel in the fresh heat that comes through the vehicle’s vents, and, with careful concentration, Emily backs out of Aria’s driveway before heading in the opposite direction of their neighborhood.

It takes only seconds for Alison to catch on, frowning slightly and initially trying to ignore it with the same skepticism as she held whenever Emily was teased by the others for some, odd reason.

She’s never been one to keep her thoughts to herself, however, especially when it seems like there’s an oncoming surprise riding in the near future, and she turns to Emily who pretends that she doesn’t see the girl’s look, only flicking on the radio in hopes to distract both of them from the forming tension and obvious, sexual frustration.

Alison’s eyes squint as she looks through the windshield again, still turned in her seat, and, as a thought finally occurs to her, she wants to groan.

“We’re not going Black Friday shopping, are we?” her features look pained, and Emily bursts out laughing in a kinda-serious, kinda-sarcastic way that Alison bites the tip of her tongue at.

“Do you _really_ think I’d take you shopping on Black Friday?” Emily raises her eyebrows, not bothering to look at Alison who makes a face.

“I don’t know if I should be insulted or thankful,” with that question out of the way, the blonde leans back in attempt to get a little more comfortable with the warm air hitting her chilled skin. “Where are we going, then?”

Emily goes to open her mouth, but Alison cuts in with an obvious “And don’t try to weasel your way out of it by asking me why I think we’re going somewhere. You told me to pack a bag.”

The brunette seals her lips, smiling and focusing on the road as street lights occasionally shine on her face with blue eyes staring at her, admiring the sight until she realizes that she’s getting lost, and, in turn, using her last-ditch attempt because, by now, she _knows_ Emily isn’t going to spill anything.

“You’re seriously not going to tell me where you’re taking me?” although she also wears a grin, her eyes are pleading.

“No, I’m not,” Emily licks her lips, knowing Alison will be satisfied once they get there. “Just relax,” she uses her best, calming voice. “It’s a little bit of a ride, but… you’ll see, soon.”

Alison relents, facing away and, within half a minute, shedding her torso of the restrictive jacket (with a small struggle) before snuggling up to the seat as much as she can. In the meantime, she falls silent ━ until a new thought occurs.

“Thank you for tonight,” she speaks quietly, Emily furrowing her eyebrows.

“What did I do?”

“You were there,” Alison gives her a simple yet obviously grateful reasoning. “You already know I never really had family functions, and tonight was… it was definitely a family thing, so thank you for making it complete.”

Emily smiles, nodding and swallowing hard before repeating, “Family.”

“Hm?”

She doesn’t answer, but Alison heard her perfectly, anyway. They both smile, butterflies releasing within their chests with determination to restrict their breathing and make it hard to think clearly.

Emily, realistically, doesn’t want to be eaten up by her nervousness since, really, she’s already a bit on-edge about making their night together perfect, so she smirks while staring through the windshield.

“Are you going to be super mushy all night?” she taunts the girl sitting in the passenger’s seat, Alison quirking an eyebrow.

“No way,” the blonde snickers. “I’m still annoyed that you won’t tell me where we’re going. You better hope whatever-it-is ends up being worth the secret.”

Her lips seal, taking a breath and focusing on the road ahead as she shifts in her seat, getting ready to make up for the two weeks of rather-amplified cautiousness and lack of touching as the vibe within the car is full of anticipation and ideas, on Alison’s end, of what’s to come.

With a sudden (yet greatly timed), restricted feeling around her shoulder, Emily fixes her newly bought, lace-covered brastrap once it falls away from the dressy, short-sleeved shirt that she wore for the night ━ despite her girlfriend’s, _“You’re going to freeze”_ protests ━ her features being as absentminded about the motion as possible while Alison glances in her direction with a caught glimpse of the fabric that instantly gets her attention.

She straightens her back with her lip bitten between her teeth, bowing her head and hiding her blushing cheeks as Emily smirks with a mental proclamation of “I win.”

Yeah, the surprise will certainly be worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "HOW COULD YOU LEAVE IT RIGHT THERE?!" I can hear the reviews now ━ and they're valid. I know, I know, I'm the worst, but it'll all be worth it. Emily's surprise, yes, and next update’s entirety. Like I said, we’re going to hit a few parallels, so look for those in chapter nineteen. Actually, always look out for those in any story of mine.
> 
> Before we dive into anything super deep and analytical, I want to address the fact that Ezra, Caleb, and Toby didn’t really play a huge role in this get-together chapter. I apologize for their lack of involvement, but I also stick by my decision. Although I’m a huge supporter of the Emily/Toby dynamic, and I did include all endgame couples in this story, I didn’t want to stress any of those relationships too much. When I said I wanted this fic to be Emison-central, I didn’t just mean in relation to their baby (like when I stressed that their relationship won’t be strictly about the child/now children), but I also meant in terms of developing outside characters (not including their friend groups which are vital to the plot). NEVERTHELESS! The guys do have a bit more involvement in the epilogue, which is nice to see, so I hope that suffices.
> 
> Alright, so… Emison…
> 
> Finally, Alison is planning on mentioning this whole, family nonsense so we can get this show on the road. We’re reaching that point where they’re thinking about mutually admitting things (thank fuck), and that’s great; we’re finally going to see things fall together after however-many chapters of waiting.
> 
> Also, it seems Emily has a nice little plan drawn out for the night. I think it’s safe to say this is bound to be a major turning point (as I’ve stressed), something we’ve been drumming up to since around chapter ten (remember what I said in that author’s note), and it’ll act almost like a grand finale, of sorts, without actually being so. I still have a few more things up my sleeve for the remaining chapters, don’t worry.
> 
> I realize this author’s note is pretty short (and some of you may be breathing out a sigh of relief), but I believe this update was sufficient in explaining where things are going. It’s chapter nineteen’s drumroll, really.
> 
> Luckily, you won’t have to wait long before I return to deliver that booming chapter, and, in the meantime, I hope the anticipation eats you alive! Just kidding, but I hope you’re excited ━ despite the fact that we’re nearly finished with yet another story of mine. Sorry for the reminder, oops.
> 
> I’ll be back soon, you beautiful people.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back so soon?
> 
> Of course you are!
> 
> Time to take a headcount! Who else is getting hit with this monstrous storm today? This goes for everyone, whether you're braving the storm or otherwise: Stay safe, stay warm, stay sane as you're stuck inside, and don't work too hard. Be mindful of frostbite, of your shoveling threshold, and of your mood because the cold weather can be a bitch. Also, don't forget to take care of your pets, especially those small creatures and others which are simply anxious in harsh conditions. This has been a PSA.
> 
> Now, if I were an awkward person (which I am), I'd tell you that this chapter will be providing the warmth you've needed, however, in all seriousness, I'll allow you to see (read) that for yourself.

Their breath appears like the remnants of smoke as the air turns even colder, an hour past how chilly it was when they first left Aria’s house.

The atmosphere creates a bubble of invitation, however, with a sleek, beige-materialed building standing tall in front of Alison’s blue eyes as she tilts her chin upward in order to look at the hotel, lips parted while, behind her, Emily unpacks the car of their two bags and the blonde’s jacket thrown over her shoulder.

Polished, see-through doors welcome them into the hotel’s probably-heated lobby, Alison feeling like her body is on autopilot as she takes a step onto the raised sidewalk in front of the building’s face, coming to a standstill while her breathing shallows in a way that displays absolute enthrallment at how classy the place looks. The interior, from where she peers into the lobby, is just as clean-cut and bright, holding similarities to the likes of high-end hotels in the middle of New York City ━ you know, the ones that cost thousands to rent for a lone overnight.

She turns quickly, Emily approaching, and, suddenly, her face is falling into an accusatory half-glare that almost instantly begins to lecture the brunette for what she assumes to be a huge loss of money on something so sweet ━ yet also unnecessary.

“Come on,” Emily’s voice is hushed, but a faint smile lingers across her mouth as if she knows what Alison is thinking and, although she accepts it, wants to erase whatever ideas are forming without proper knowledge.

Alison can’t help but follow, her girlfriend happily bringing both of their bags closer to the door before opening it for the blonde who, really, could’ve done it herself ━ especially when it looks like Emily is close to dropping her own backpack before it’s adjusted to be once again secure. Again, so sweet, but still unnecessary. Nevertheless, she hums in politeness.

The lobby is empty ━ save the desk attendant who smiles brightly, though it’s not the earliest hour, and a lone bellhop who scurries into a back room ━ and Alison constantly assesses her surroundings with amazed eyes and a dumbfounded look on her face, ultimately earning a chuckle from Emily who, once they’re at the check-in counter, puts on a friendlier face.

Whatever Emily says to the young man behind the counter is lost as Alison feels herself falling into a pit of contentedness, the space’s high ceilings and sparkling chandelier capturing her interest with her lungs wanting to sigh in relief due to the surrounding, perfect temperature. Faded scents of pumpkin mixed with perfume attack her nose, Alison finally taking a deep breath with her mouth curving into a smile because the combination is something to remember ━ not nearly as much as her own body spray mixed with Emily’s, though.

She tries to think back on the last time she checked into such a nice place, or had even stepped into one for a mere second, and, once no memory comes to mind, she decides that it doesn’t matter, anyway; she’d stay here forever, if she could.

Her eyes flicker to Emily once she sees the girl flipping around a keycard between her fingers while making sure she’d slid her I.D. back into her wallet, not paying an ounce of attention to the blue gaze that’s fixated on her features.

Once Emily’s focus is away from the items clung to her back and arm, she smiles at the desk attendant and gets a mirrored expression, followed by a deep yet cheery “I’ve been instructed to tell you to enjoy your stay.”

“Thank you,” the brunette’s reply is cheeky, like the two of them have some sort of underlying communication that Alison can’t pick up on, as much as she tries.

When Emily finally turns back to Alison, she doesn’t give the girl enough time to come up with a single question, but the blonde catches how her girlfriend tightly seals her lips with an oncoming smile before shuffling past her with their things, silently taunting her with the unasked, rhetorical question, “well, aren’t you going to follow?”

Of course, Alison does, but her own agenda forms while Emily apparently has a secret that’s being held tightly as they walk over to the elevator.

She wants to keep on a stoic, accusatory face with those steely eyes that could bore through a seven-foot-tall, grown man in a heartbeat, but her interest constantly finds itself gawking at each and every, scattered, shiny detail of the hotel’s hallway. Even its stark-white ceilings with intricate, crown moulding lining the tops of the taupe walls are appealing.

In fact, Alison is so engrossed in everything that she almost walks past the elevator with Emily already stepped into the metal box, getting a snorted half-chuckle from the brunette who has to bow her head so she can’t catch the glare that’s being thrown at her for more reasons than one.

With a pretty-toned ding ━ also catching Alison’s attention ━ they’re closed into the space together, leaving not a lot of expensive attributions for the blonde to look at. It’s the perfect opportunity to (figuratively) corner Emily, she muses and slowly turns her head to look at the girl with severely narrowed eyes and a peaking smirk, looking like someone who has caught their significant other making such a silly choice that it’s beyond disbelieving ━ albeit, once more, it’s also sweet.

“What did you do?” as much as it sounds accusing, Alison feels entertained, and it’s evident in the way her words come out exasperated yet gentle, Emily staring ahead at the doors with a never-disappearing, modest smile.

“I called in a favor,” is her vague response, not giving her girlfriend much to go on ━ just like in the car, Alison wants to roll her eyes.

“From who?”

“Hanna’s mom,” she answers without missing a beat, tone light as her chin tilts upward a fraction before the elevator slows down until it’s at a standstill.

“What’s the favor?” Alison won’t leave it alone, but her voice is overrun by the same ding that sounded when they first stepped into the elevator, Emily stepping into the empty, identical-looking hallway with the blonde following quickly.

“You’ll see.”

The keycard is systematically ━ _perfectly_ ━ flipped around between her fingers again, catching Alison’s eye with the blonde’s mind wanting to delve into some not-so-cleanly thoughts even though they’re walking through a hallway that’s so pure and unstained. She chews her inner cheek, pushing away the irony in hopes that it’ll take her sexual frustration with it.

Alison supposes she can blame the car ride for the way her bodily tension has apparently ridden upward, beginning when they first slid into their seats and held that small make out session. Okay, so she was the instigator of that one, but, after that, everything seemed to become much more amplified even though most instances were so simple ━ like when she spotted Emily’s bra strap, a lace pattern and color that didn’t match any of her other sets, causing Alison to fall into a pit of wonders and rather colorful imaginative thinking. It happened another time, too, and the blonde had to keep herself from looking like she was outright trying to figure out if it was a bra she had seen before, or not. It picked at her brain like a gnat, unfortunately for her, and she found that the only way she could distract herself was by listening to the car’s radio while fixating her eyes on the road’s lines.

Emily didn’t have it much better, on the other hand, though her skittishness more so derived from anticipation about the night ahead. It’s not like she’s had a big idea of how she’d like the night to go, but, of course, there’s that desired ending of the two of them making the most of this one-night, fancy-hotel stay. Emily’s nervousness is mostly an outcome of the tone she wants to set, and how this is, in her mind, some sort of turning point in their relationship; lately, she’s felt like she’s been holding herself back from being brave and speaking her thoughts ━ despite how open she told Alison she’d try to be ━ and, as they approach the door, a voice in her head tells her that it’s now or never.

With little effort, the card is slid through its designated slot as Emily’s hand lingers on the chrome handle, pushing it open to reveal a darkened space until the lights automatically flicker on with the two stepping over the threshold.

Alison’s amazement returns only seconds after her shoes are kicked toward the nearby closet, this round of interest milder as it’s a smaller room with lower ceilings, but the windows are huge with a view of city lights, and everything smells so clean.

Her girlfriend, similarly, admires the room once she hangs Alison’s jacket on a hook, previously only been in a smaller block on a lower level ━ _before_ the renovations were finished ━ and, quite frankly, this is a hell of a lot better than anything she’s seen. She grins at the furnishings, noting how it all looks so much nicer than online when she had studied the hotel’s interior pictures before calling in her favor from Mrs. Marin ━ a phone call which she had to end abruptly once Alison walked into the apartment without notice.

Everything is so light, on the face of it, with the carpet being a soft, taupe color to match the walls which house occasional paintings, and the curtains pulled back from the windows are just as clean-cut. A small kitchen is tucked into the left, front corner of the suite, residing next to the doorway as Emily locks them into the space, and the bathroom’s entrance is also nearby, nothing obstructing the bedroom’s overall area ━ or its blatant, romantic vibe.

Alison feels her cheeks warming up at the sight, biting her lower lip without turning to Emily. She studies the king-size bed, its white covers fluffed yet resting nicely with two mounds of pillows piled next to the headboard, a sconce on the wall just above as its switch lingers nearby, and a built-in fireplace across from the foot of the mattress with a flat-screen TV hanging above its mantle.

The fireplace’s warmth already radiates throughout the room, and its appearance is the utmost appealing with Alison zoning in on the flames, a cracking sound sometimes attacking their eardrums to invite a new wave of obvious beauty.

After another minute or so, Emily decides to poke at Alison’s wandering mind, the girl’s eyes unblinking as she stares ahead at the fireplace without paying much attention to her girlfriend who, soon, walks in front of her.

“Still not tired?” it’s more of a joke than anything, the brunette smirking as she puts their bags against a nearby dresser without daring to open them ━ not when she believes there’s no need.

Alison snaps back into the moment at hand, her mouth opening and closing as if the uncomplicated question stumped her, and Emily chuckles before remembering a final request she put in while talking to Hanna’s mother over the phone, also recalling how the woman laughed but sounded skeptical about the favor’s ending detail.

“I have one more thing to show you, actually,” she takes the girl’s hand with such a loose grip that they don’t have the chance to entwine their fingers for even a second, ushering her a few steps into the kitchen and opening the fridge so Alison can see the assortment of drinks ━ the variety of Gatorade bottles, primarily blue ━ sitting along the top shelf.

She can’t help but smile at both the thoughtfulness and Emily’s smug grin, like the girl is soaking in her outstanding gratitude even though she hasn’t muttered a simple thank-you for the entire fifteen minutes they’ve been in the building.

“Thank you,” Alison decides that it’s time to voice what she’s thinking, taking a step closer to Emily and gingerly framing the girl’s cheeks with her hands. “Thank you for… _all_ of this,” it comes out with a breathy laugh, but her amusement is replaced by raised eyebrows and a lecturing gaze when she tilts her head and adds, “but there’s no way you got it as a ‘favor.’ How much did you spend?”

Emily wants to laugh at how serious her girlfriend looks ━ almost as if she’s afraid of hearing the answer ━ but only bites the tip of her tongue before her triumphant attitude returns and she’s able to thickly claim, “Did I mention that her mom loves me?”

Looking back, she supposes that she could’ve toned down the way she said it, a taste of scandalousness coming through her words even though it wasn’t intended, and, in the end, Emily wants to face-palm herself as Alison quirks an eyebrow.

“Not like that,” she quickly adds, somewhat shaking her head with a small chuckle, and swears she can see relief flash across Alison’s features.

Their miniature conversation is broken up by Alison absentmindedly nodding with a growing smile appearing, walking back into the main bedroom as Emily slowly follows, not caring to hide how she checks her girlfriend out once she’s standing at the windows.

Her teeth nip at her bottom lip, wanting to bask in the sight for a bit longer even though her feet take her toward Alison with intent to admire the city’s view, just as much. She doesn’t pay attention to the way her girlfriend reacts once they’re standing side by side, only briefly seeing Alison turn to her before facing their surroundings once more.

“It’s beautiful,” Emily isn’t sure whether or not she’s talking to herself, but Alison nods.

“It is,” her eyes drift to the brunette for a split second, afterwards rubbing her lips together and bowing her head before clearing her throat. “You didn’t have to do this, you know.”

“I know I didn’t,” they face each other, Emily smiling, “but I wanted to.”

Alison begins to smile again, remembering how they met and, after that, the first time they hung out.

“That seems to be _your_ thing,” she gives Emily an impish grin. “Doing things you don’t have to.”

“Maybe I just like giving people reasons to feel good about life. You, specifically,” the brunette doesn’t steer away from reminding her girlfriend of the things she, too, has said, matching her smile before taking a breath and turning away so she can slowly close the curtains.

She’s watched inch by inch, Alison’s eyes drifting a little low when Emily’s back is turned with her torso stretching so she can reach the far end of the curtain’s width, and, soon, they’re eye to eye again, but the brunette is shuffling away without a word.

Alison follows little by little as her feet take her across the carpet, ending up on the side of the bed nearest to the door as Emily dims the space’s lighting ━ save the sconce above the bed, and the fireplace. She smirks at the brunette’s minute gestures to (successfully) drum up a heavier vibe, also feeling butterflies let loose in her stomach as her hands clasp behind her back, head tilted to the side when Emily is facing her again.

They’re separated by seven or so feet, Emily looking too afraid to approach further even though her features are also covered in a thin mask of confidence, and a shy grin is constantly across her lips.

“Don’t even _attempt_ to convince me that you’re not trying to be romantic this time,” Alison is first to break the tension with squinted eyes and accusations strewn across the way she speaks, slowing down the sentence toward the end.

Emily reacts by ducking her head and biting her lower lip, peering up at Alison through her eyelashes from where she stands, feet away.

“Okay, maybe I am,” the admission semi-stuns Alison who waits for something more when Emily begins to deliberately approach. “Just a little bit, though,” her confidence seemingly grows as the distance between them dwindles until they’re only two feet away.

“A little bit?” with another, digging head-tilt, the blonde doesn’t buy it, peeling away Emily’s courage as much as she can ━ except, this time, her tactic is shot down with the brunette carefully erasing the space between them even more.

“I think we have a little more celebrating to do, don’t you?” instead of answering and playing into Alison’s trap, Emily makes sure to keep things on the track she designed, leaning in and pecking the blonde on the lips once, twice, three times.

Alison feels sturdy hands on her waist, fingertips already wanting to slide upward and bunch the maroon, long-sleeve, deep-v-neck t-shirt beneath her palms until the garment doesn’t act as a barrier anymore. They behave, for the time being, however their lips press together for two, elongated kisses that so-clearly want to deepen with ready mouths, and, to stall the moment and level the playing field, Alison breaks through the tension with something that sounds more provocative than dismissive.

“You seem to be under the impression that I’m not too stuffed from dinner to fool around,” it’s not the best, most-smug comment she’s ever come up with, but Alison lets it linger in the air as her limbs ache to bring their clasped bodies backward until her legs are hitting the bed and she’s pulling Emily down on top of━

“We don’t have to,” with a shrug, Emily smiles ━ a reaction which confuses Alison, as she’s not sure if the girl is serious, or what. “You know I’m always fine with watching TV and cuddling.”

Oh, fuck it.

“Mm, I never said you were wrong,” tossing away her hard-to-get personality, Alison takes a page out of Emily’s recent book of seduction and pulls her toward the bed using the hem of her shirt, “and, yes, I do think we have something more than Thanksgiving to celebrate.”

Once they’re a foot from the bed and at a standstill, both waiting for the other to make some sort of move, Emily looks into curious, blue eyes that sparkle with hidden questions and coaxing to make her want to be honest, and all she hears herself ask is: “Like what?” ━ a wonder that evokes a smirk from Alison, like this was another one of her infamous traps.

“You tell me,” her voice is smooth and intoxicating. “You’re the one who rented a hotel room for the occasion,” it sinks lower, and Emily’s lips part because, now, there’s no way to escape.

It’s now or never, right?

She goes to open her mouth, but it closes within seconds, and a shaky laugh comes out with Emily bowing her head. Alison doesn’t let her stray too far, in reality, and uses her finger to lift her girlfriend’s chin so they’re looking at each other again.

With the same, comforting smile, Alison nudges her along with a careful “I need to know what we’re celebrating.”

Emily licks her lips, swallows hard, and, in a short amount of time, allows herself to force words through her clenched throat with a strained voice.

“Twins,” is what she initially comes out with, the blonde not reacting ━ a non-reaction that, in turn, gives Emily another shove. “ _Our_ twins. Our babies.”

Alison feels her heart flutter again, a small spike of emotion drilling through her chest as she smiles heavily and shuffles closer so their mouths are only three inches away, still holding the ability to look into each other’s eyes through an extremely lidded focus.

“Our… family?” the two-worded question means so much to both of them, inviting what feels like an hour of silence until Emily begins to nod with her nose brushing against Alison’s, leaning closer until they’re touching lips and she finds a fraction of her voice in order to confirm the idea.

“Yeah,” she smiles harder, “our family.”

Whatever collective, expanding expression that was forming is erased, both girls mutually sealing the gap between them with a lock-tight kiss and mirrored sighs of relief and satisfaction.

Emily pulls her closer by the dip of her lower back, fingers dragging along the fabric beneath her palms as she feels Alison’s body against hers. She notices the solid, unignorable yet still-somewhat-subtle bump of Alison’s stomach squished between them, only making her grin against the blonde’s mouth because, fuck, it’s still all so surreal yet unbelievably fulfilling, wanting to constantly get emotional over the idea that, soon, they’ll have a family together; they’ve come so far, and she supposes that their growth (both literally and figuratively) is a testament to how things can change in an instant.

It makes Emily’s heart swell with happiness, and Alison can nearly taste the sensation on her tongue when they’re kissing on another level, already getting hit with the fireplace’s radiance on top of how their bodies want to mesh against each other, skin on skin.

Internally, as Emily feels Alison’s hands roaming up her torso and dragging along her shirt with an obvious want to sneak beneath, she remembers how she recently declared that she’ll keep things on track tonight with her own, makeshift plan, and begins to push the blonde toward the bed until she’s sitting down on the very edge.

With a bitten lip, Emily backs up with a deviousness about her posture and the way her fingers move to her shirt with Alison sitting on the mattress, eyes locked on how the brunette undoes each button of the dark-colored blouse with a purposely slow nature ━ a tactic that’s used to torture, and something she, herself, has done before. She catches Emily peering at her through an indirect line of sight, Alison not wanting to look this done-for, but not being able to help herself with her lips parted as her girlfriend flawlessly sheds herself of the garment that, for the night’s majority, has hidden a beautiful, dark purple, black-laced bra.

Her mouth won’t close, at least not completely, and Emily smirks before approaching again and firmly yet tenderly holding onto Alison’s shoulders while carefully straddling her lap despite the tightness of her jeans, making sure her knees dig into the mattress on each side of the blonde’s thighs without putting too much pressure on her body ━ not that her girlfriend would mind.

“I thought you only had one more thing to show me?” with a half-assed, last-ditch attempt, Alison tries to scrape together some sort of shaky confidence to match Emily’s even though, right now, it’s dead in the water, reminding the brunette of what she said before in reference to the Gatorade within the room’s fridge.

It gets a laugh, either way, but Alison thinks it’s more so out of how love-drunk she looks with eyes that are practically resembling the overly animated, heart-gazed emoji.

“Maybe I wanted to keep this a surprise,” Emily pecks her on the lips, lingering an inch away.

Alison is nervous to ask, more so because she knows that the answer could probably cause her to become mute for the rest of the night, but, in the end, manages to whisper, “Are there any other surprises?”

Emily only quirks an eyebrow, practically batting Alison back and forth with an unvoiced “maybe yes, maybe no” just before the blonde’s attention is brought back to their heated kissing with her shirtless girlfriend straddling her lap.

Needy hands drag up Emily’s arms, stopping occasionally to revel in the warmth that’s gifted by both their proximity and the flames dancing nearby, other times roaming up to her neck and resting there for a minute or two while their tongues drag against each other and their lips try to find a mutual pace. The brunette’s fingers tangle in her girlfriend’s hair, nails scratching along her scalp while pouring more love into the kiss without pushing Alison onto her back ━ also something neither one of them would mind, however.

When Alison wants a new positioning for her hands, they drag down Emily’s body until they’re lightly tickling the skin of her lower back, the brunette having to break the kiss to stifle a giggle when it’s such an obnoxiously light feeling. Alison smirks, willingly erasing her own triumph by kissing Emily again until she finds an opening to snag the brunette’s bottom lip and tug on it, getting a breathy, cracked moan that wasn’t initially detected until it was out in the open.

It makes Alison want more, holding onto Emily’s thighs and beginning to lean their conjoined bodies backward, but her motions are halted when the brunette shakes her head with a toying laugh.

Alison doesn’t have time to question why she’s not allowing it, wondering if it’s a “pace” issue ━ and, if that’s the case, wanting to whine at the idea of going slow; she needs some sort of release, and it’s going to have to happen soon ━ because, immediately following Emily shaking her head, she climbs off of the blonde with silent protests of grabby hands and nails scratching her jeans to try to drag her back into her former position.

She doesn’t go far, really, and stands at the edge of the bed, between Alison’s legs, while leaning over the blonde’s body. Her lips capture her girlfriend’s, only lingering there for a moment or two, and they begin to dot pecks down the side of Alison’s face, jawline, and neck with her hands grasping the blankets beneath them.

Alison leans up on her elbows, trying to keep herself sturdy while her arms feel like they’re shaking when she tilts her head back to expose her throat for Emily to kiss. She lets out a deep breath when teeth nip at her pulse point, teeth clenching together afterward with the brunette traveling downward and following the neckline of her shirt.

Once Emily reaches the very tip of the neckline’s v-shape, her hands push her away from the mattress without backing up much, instantly reaching for the belt of Alison’s jeans and, at first, toying with the buckle as eyes bore a hole through her forehead.

Emily looks at Alison once she feels a burning gaze on her, tilting her head to the side and raising her eyebrows before glancing back down at the belt beneath her fingertips. An abrupt laugh exits her throat, shaking her head and peering up at Alison again, constantly looking as smug as ever ━ a sight that’s both new and something the blonde wouldn’t mind witnessing again and again.

“Who wears a belt on Thanksgiving?” when Emily finally opens her mouth, her teasing persists, though it’s mainly for light conversation because, as the words float between them, her fingers easily undo the item so the belt is flopped against the inside of Alison’s thigh.

“Those who have to wear odd-fitting pregnancy jeans,” Alison feels comfortable enough to delve into the topic, speaking pointedly.

“Well, let me just say…” with the same slowness to her motions as she had before, Emily leans up to kiss Alison on the mouth, “you look _really_ good.”

Coming with the statement is the subtle sound of Alison’s jeans being unzipped, the blonde feeling the garment loosen around her waist as they’re unbuttoned and completely undone even though they remain in place.

“I know,” Alison smirks, feeling Emily’s hands shift against the mattress next to her thighs, the brunette hunched over her. “You’ve been staring a lot tonight,” she brushes her lips against her girlfriend’s, kissing her so lightly that it’s barely felt.

“I’m not the only one,” the brunette doesn’t waste time in challenging the notification, pulling out an argument of her own. “At least _I_ wasn’t getting handsy underneath the dinner table.”

Although it pains her to bring it up ━ mostly because it was so, _so_ obvious against the denim of her jeans, and she was trying so hard to ignore it with sealed lips ━ she feels it’s useful in the seductive banter, particularly when they’re this close and she has Alison beneath her.

“We were done eating, and it was just your thigh,” in turn, Alison tries to dilute her claim with a snicker at her dramatics, though she wouldn’t take back what she was doing at the dinner table because those three, compact minutes were pretty entertaining when she felt Emily’s initial jolt once her hand slid into place.

As if Emily found her way into Alison’s memory, her hands begin to slide away from the comforter and drag down her girlfriend’s thighs, the blonde swallowing hard at the sudden motion. She looks down before quickly retreating and raising her chin, the sight being something that she’ll never get tired of; Emily spreads Alison’s legs, looking settled on what she wants to do, and her head tilts to the side without trying to look into blue, struggling eyes.

“Yeah, but… your fingers were slightly roaming,” with her recollection comes an example, her hand dragging inward before her pointer finger is teasing the crotch of Alison’s jeans at a torturous rate.

“I didn’t go that far,” Alison’s argument is weak, voice wavering, at one point, due to the constant, tickling sensation between her legs.

“You wanted to.”

“That’s different.”

“Not when I’m fully aware,” Emily licks her lips, looking into Alison’s eyes when a blue color is staring at her through a shaky focus. “Not when I’ve been waiting for it.”

“Why haven’t you made a move, then?” she’s surprised she can keep up with the debate while the finger between her legs puts a bit more pressure in the area, wanting to let out a deep exhale at the feeling.

“Why haven’t _you_?” her pointer finger is replaced by her thumb, but the friction lets up as her motions become scarce, and Alison only swallows hard at the bounced-back question.

Emily takes it as a signal that they’ve both been waiting for the other to make a move, mentally deciding that this is going to be her taking the first step so they can both stop waiting around.

She slides her hands back to Alison’s thighs, grasping onto her legs and moving to stand between them so she can kiss her girlfriend like before. Her body hunches over the warmth of Alison’s gradually exposed skin when her long-sleeve shirt rides up with Emily’s movements, the casual restriction only becoming an excuse for the brunette’s hands to continue traveling north until they’re peeling the garment upward.

Alison one-handedly helps Emily as the brunette’s weight is somewhat alleviated so her shirt can be fully removed, not caring how needy she probably looks as her mouth searches for her girlfriend’s once there’s less of a barrier between them. At the abrupt, hungry motion, a subtle gasp leaves Emily’s throat just as they’re kissing again, her nails gingerly scratching along the blonde’s lower back as a minute yet noticeable layer of sweat forms wherever her fingers travel.

She still wants more, though, and her lower-roaming hands make it clear. In case Alison didn’t get the memo, however, Emily’s lips desert her lover’s and trail down her neck, nipping the smoothness beneath her mouth until it’s passing her collarbones and doing the same subtle, biting tactic to the beginning of her breasts.

Alison’s breath hitches, her head tilting back as she tries her hardest to keep sturdy on her elbows which dig into the mattress, still holding her torso off the bed to watch Emily’s every move ━ at least, that was her original plan. Realistically, her body reacts way more to simple things than it used to, realizing that she’s definitely in her second trimester which the brunette, days ago, mentioned will cause her to be more susceptible to tenderness along more than one part of her body. She wants to chuckle at the remembrance, also feeling the desire to roll her eyes at herself for harping on such humane information at a time that’s more so… _uninnocent._

A minor, pinching sensation on the top of her right breast brings her back to the situation, mouth falling open with a cracked exhale escaping her lips. She hears the tail-end of a quiet chuckle as Emily presses another kiss or two to the area, adorning the freshly made, dark patch with her idea of admiration ━ or perhaps victory. Alison smiles, remembering the first time Emily gave her a hickey, and how the girl climbed up her body with a smug smile that she eye-rolled at ━ right before the deviousness was kissed away.

Hands grip her thighs again, Emily now successfully standing between her legs even though her knees are bent so she’s still a bit hunched over and now tending to her lover’s stomach with a path of fiery kisses, Alison licking her lips while studying the brunette’s physique. It’s definitely something she’ll never get sick of viewing, like her personal piece of artwork. How cheesy, she muses, and chuckles.

“What’s so funny?” Emily catches her, this time, and squints with a tiny grin.

“Nothing,” Alison tries to deny it, but brown eyes only narrow further. “You’re just really beautiful.”

At first, her girlfriend beams at the compliment, a certain, flirtatious undertone to the way she smiles before sealing her lips, however it’s diminished when Emily puts on her best, lecturing face, cocking her head to the side.

“Didn’t you say you’re not going to be super mushy all night? I vaguely recall that car conversation.”

She snickers and rolls her eyes, afterwards settling on staring at Emily with her own idea of a sultry attitude ━ the same one that the brunette can never turn away from.

“Would you rather me call you sexy?”

It earns a teasing, “you’re relentless” head shake, but she never earns a solid answer as Emily’s fingertips walk up Alison’s legs with brown eyes blending with blue, the blonde swallowing hard but also paying attention.

Fingers hook into her already-loosened jeans, Alison helping Emily by lifting her bottom half until the girl has the capability to slide the denim along her thighs. It goes slow ━ maybe even slower in Alison’s mind ━ and Emily licks her lips as if she’s preying on the body lying at her mercy, kneeling on the ground once her girlfriend’s pants are nearly hitting the floor until, finally, they’re completely discarded.

Her nails drag along the freshly exposed skin, Alison still leaning up on her elbows to watch how Emily studies her complexion with clear love and that forever-matched hunger, making her feel a bit more easygoing about how she views herself; it always helps to see someone else look at you like you’re the world because, then, maybe you’re able to see a little more of your own worth.

The fluffy sentiment simmers down as Emily kisses Alison’s inner, left knee, followed by the right. It causes the blonde to snag her lip between her teeth, especially when that hot, driven mouth begins to work upward at the slowest, most torturous rate, sometimes only dragging her bottom lip along soft skin.

In the meantime, Alison admires her girlfriend’s body once more, unfocused eyes studying her back and how her shoulder blades move whenever she needs to shift upward in order to bring her lips closer to the blonde’s center. The sight, alone, makes her want to react with a deep, quiet moan, but it doesn’t come out until Emily is taking a small patch of skin between her teeth and tugging gently, Alison’s reaction sounding more like a hiss. It’s soothed in the same way as her breast had been, however, with pecks and an unvoiced proclamation of “Sorry if I hurt you.”

Emily peers upward once she’s nearly buried between Alison’s legs, the blonde’s breath captured in her throat without wanting to escape until every bit of her is feeling some kind of release.

The small wave of it that Alison receives, much to her dismay, is only a result of Emily leaning down and pressing three, open-mouthed kisses to her center, the brunette tasting her girlfriend before licking her lips and somewhat straightening her posture.

Once she’s at Alison’s mouth again, the girl’s breathing has sped up and, in a way, Emily can tell that her sentimental nature ━ or mushiness ━ has evaporated for the time being.

Their kiss doesn’t last long, in reality, when Alison wants to keep things mutual-paced for the night ahead, and her elbows are mustering up some strength to push her body upward until Emily is standing in front of her again.

She doesn’t give her girlfriend much time to question her motives, blue eyes looking up at Emily with her natural, devilish sparkle, and the brunette’s focus drifts away when she sees fingers nimbly reaching for the button and zipper of her jeans, ready to make this a fair fight. She doesn’t protest, only looking down and watching the satisfying sight of Alison undoing her pants with a decisiveness strewn throughout the way her fingers all but pull apart the fly of the denim until her hands slow when she’s viewing the panties that match her lacey bra.

Alison looks up again, somewhat dumbfounded with an exhaled chuckle being heard to match an “I’m so screwed” type of head shake, but her attention returns to undressing Emily, successfully sliding the denim down her smooth legs until the garment is kicked away. She takes a good look at her lover, and Emily notices what she’s doing with a smirk coming to her features while she takes a step back and tilts her head to the side, hands on her hips.

“Am I allowed to turn the light off yet?” once Emily speaks, Alison’s eyes snap up to meet hers, followed by trailing off to see the above-bed light still shining.

With her mouth agape just barely, she manages a nod, watching Emily shuffle two feet to the side until the room is darkened ━ aside from the fireplace that is much more noticeable, now that it’s not obstructed by any other sconces.

Before Emily can turn back to her, Alison relieves her elbows of their building cramps by straightening her back until she’s shifting backward, automatically reaching for Emily’s hand so she can pull her girlfriend on top of her.

Emily complies easily, smiling as she remembers their first time together, and how she was overboard with timidity due to the fear of damaging the girl below her. It’s ironic, she thinks, because, if anything, Alison is more fragile now than she was back then, but she’s wholeheartedly comfortable with the way they operate together nowadays. She crawls on top of Alison with ease, the blonde’s head slowly leaning back until she’s rested on the pillows, and they’re studying each other’s features once they’ve come to a standstill.

Alison caresses Emily’s cheek before some hair is being pushed behind her ear, the brunette smiling, leaning down, and pecking her girlfriend on the lips before backing up again.

“I love you so much,” Emily confesses with ease, a dopey grin being given, in return.

“Aw,” after a short amount of sentiment is shared, the blonde decides to coo, leaning up and brushing her lips against Emily’s in attempt to regain the passion from minutes ago, “now look who’s being mushy.”

It’s obviously a challenge, and Emily takes it as such, offering a dark-toned hum while leaning down and opting to satisfy Alison with a deeper kiss and less talking. In response, Alison’s hand drifts away from Emily’s cheek and glides down to her neck, pulling her down easily so their bodies are completely flush against each other with sweat-shimmered skin and an unvoiced want of removing their remaining clothing. Her teeth nip at her lover’s lower lip occasionally, finally finding an opening to trap it with Emily getting out a laugh at the motion because she can almost see Alison bouncing her eyebrows in succession. The smugness evaporates once Emily’s thigh shifts between her legs, only happening seconds after releasing the girl’s lip with a subtle pop, and the blonde willingly releases a soft grunt at the thrusting motion.

It’s Emily’s turn to look triumphant, smirking before clearing the devious air by instantly dragging her tongue against Alison’s with fingers tangling in her hair. She moves her thigh again, the mouth against hers stopping in its tracks until the curt wave of stimulation simmers out.

The brunette’s motions all come to a standstill, in fact, and their kisses grow slower until their noses are only brushing past each other with Emily pulling away. There’s nothing worrisome about the way she stares at Alison, however, and the blonde feels at ease, a faint smile curving her lips with her fingers drawing patterns on Emily’s neck while her other hand lingers on the girl’s lower back, doing the same as the former.

“Is something on your mind?” when the silence lingers for a bit longer than she expected, Alison pushes her own needs to the side so she can care for Emily.

“It’s kinda silly, but…” the brunette worries at her lower lip, though she can’t help the dopey, self-directed grin that appears before she voices her hidden concern, “I was wondering if you wanted me to untuck the comforter.”

Alison’s smile grows, pulling Emily’s face back down to hers so she can kiss her lips over and over again, but it doesn’t stop the girl from getting out a broken-up “I know you usually like being covered by a blanket or something similar” in-between pecks.

Finally, after a three-second kiss that survives only as Emily gives in and stops talking, Alison lays her head back down to the pillow, constantly smiling at the girl above her and all of her overwhelming care; she admires how heavily the brunette pays attention, especially when it comes to little things such as her attraction to having something covering their bodies during sex ever since her pregnancy became visible and her hormones have stirred something within her mind telling her that she’s not looking so hot. Emily always pays attention, and constantly makes mental notes. Even in a non-romantic sense, Alison admires it; she wishes she could be that consistent and instinctive, and, hopefully, as they spend more weeks, months, years, and decades together… it’ll rub off on her.

That’s what couples do, right?

Alison bites her lip when her eyes want to water with happiness, not letting it show as she sighs and makes an unwavering decision.

“Not tonight,” she dismisses the idea, Emily raising her eyebrows in slight shock. “I’m feeling comfortable.”

“ _Really_?” the blonde’s answer intrigues her, tilting her head to the side. “May I ask why?”

“You might get a mushy answer,” her words are pointed, halfheartedly teasing.

“I’ll allow it.”

“You’ll ‘allow’ it?” the word gets a round of entertainment on Alison’s behalf, eyebrow quirked as if to challenge Emily’s “superiority” as the brunette rolls her eyes because that’s not how she meant it.

“Come on,” Emily coaxes, voice kind and quiet as the hands formerly tracing patterns on her skin slowly come to a complete stop. “I want to know what makes tonight different. I want to know why you’re feeling so comfortable,” her words lower and lower until they’re dead in her throat, mostly mouthing the last part of her thought.

For a moment, Alison thinks, chewing her inner cheek as she brings her hand closer between them so she can trace her lover’s collarbones through the smushed-together angle. It doesn’t take too long before she’s able to throw together a reasoning, a bundle of thoughts previously tangled within her mind because, quite frankly, so many points are contributing to the way she’s positively looking at herself tonight ━ one being the way Emily looks at her ━ and it’s tough to pinpoint something. In the end, she ultimately comes up with something deeper, realizing that it has nothing to do with anything physical, but the fact that they’re finally being sheerly exposed and totally real.

“I guess… because I don’t feel alone, whatsoever,” her eyes don’t make contact with Emily’s as she speaks, voice light with her fingertip just barely gliding over the girl’s collarbone. “I mean, I never really do, so I don’t want you to worry about that, but…” she nibbles her lower lip, “knowing you also think of us as a family━ _all_ of us━it’s…”

A blissful, overly content smile interrupts the explanation, softly ending with “It’s just perfect.”

It gets a mirrored expression from Emily, though part of it falters due to regretfulness since she had been thinking of them as a family all along, only to wait weeks upon weeks before saying it. She supposes that it could be better this way, mostly because who knows if Alison would’ve reacted differently if she said it earlier in their relationship, plus she’s never been straightforward in any way, shape, or form, but it still weighs her heart down to know that they could’ve been this honest ━ this _bold_ ━ with each other for longer. Every second is precious, Emily has come to know.

“Maybe I should’ve been saying it all along,” it comes through a sigh, words strained but not entirely saddened. “I should’ve told you what I was thinking, and how I looked at us,” she’s more so apologetic when she looks into blue eyes, giving her a sad smile.

“We both should’ve,” Alison finds the means to comfort her even though she’s partly thinking the same, “but,” she rearranges her arms and crosses her wrists behind Emily’s neck, her flirtatiousness making another appearance with a shy grin, “now we just have to make sure we _keep_ saying it.”

“You’re right,” Emily nods without hesitation, giving her a single kiss on the lips. “No matter what, you are my family, and so are our babies,” it comes adorned with cheekiness, almost emphasizing her words against Alison’s mouth.

A content hum vibrates against her lips, Alison smiling even though, internally, her stomach swirls with a bittersweet sensation because the words “no matter what” have always affected her in an odd way, like it leaves the door open for something to sneak in and wreak havoc, or like it’s a buffer ━ a “what if,” in a way. It’s not horrible, however, especially because of how severely she trusts Emily; she knows that, at the end of the day, the brunette will do everything in her power to make this relationship work, and it has nothing to do with their children. Since the very beginning of their relationship, she’s been proving it, left and right, and that has given Alison the push to understand that Emily has lived up to her word on caring to know who she, herself, is ━ despite anything they’ve gone through together, knowingly or otherwise. She smiles harder, actually disrupting their kiss.

“I’m starting to get the feeling that I’m never going to have your full attention tonight,” Emily mutters against her lips, and Alison bites the tip of her own tongue because of how she’s started to suck at keeping her emotions to herself.

In attempt to shove them away and, in some light, play into Emily’s game, Alison puts on her normal jacket of seduction, daring her girlfriend with a sultry “You have to earn my attention.”

The look on Emily’s face is priceless, being a mixture of challenge and dumbfoundedness, and, on sight, Alison just wants to kiss away whatever plans are forming in her mind, but, as she leans upward, the brunette smoothly latches onto her lower lip to elicit a hiss. When she’s released, she doesn’t have the chance to glare at her lover before the same fiery feeling is being patterned around the skin of her neck by a mouth that knows just where to go and for how long.

A tongue drags up her throat and chin, right before Emily tilts her head to the side to kiss her way to Alison’s pulse point with nails scratching along the brunette’s hips and across her lower back whenever she hits a particularly sensitive area.

Alison feels her mouth opening every now and then, primarily taking in sharp gasps of air even though she also feels her chest shaking with intent to whimper at occasional feelings against her skin, but nothing compares to when a hand sneaks between her legs and rubs against the crotch of her panties through the fabric. It elicits a shaky breath through clenched teeth, her head tilting back into the pillow with Emily kissing her way back to Alison’s cheek.

Her mouth hangs open, friction building in the right place without being nearly enough for that euphoric release, and Emily enjoys the sight with a smirk.

“Please don’t tease me tonight,” Alison all but groans without looking at Emily, staring at the upper portion of the wall with her chin tilted upward.

“Why not?” the brunette chuckles, kissing her jawline. “That’s how I earn your attention.”

At the comment, the blonde’s lips seal forcefully and her eyes slam shut, suddenly having to hold herself together without giving Emily the benefit of hearing her beg, or seeing her react plentifully. Her legs don’t get the memo, unfortunately for the blonde, because they try opening wider whenever Emily moves her fingers in a certain way, or applies more pressure to a particular area.

She takes a deep breath, sucking up a large gust of air until it’s cut short and released through a moan when her lover’s fingers randomly slip away from staying on top of the fabric and smoothly glide underneath, immediately dragging through her wetness with deliberation.

Within seconds, Emily’s lips are captured by Alison’s, the blonde wanting to at least moderately distract herself when her girlfriend’s fingertips are only teasing her by occasionally dipping into her folds while otherwise tickling the length of her center. She periodically stops to breathe, however, leaning her nose against the other girl’s with a need to pull herself together even though all she finds herself focusing on is the extreme wetness between her legs due to such little ministrations.

Emily watches her lover struggle to stay away from giving into the feeling, the concept of empowerment coming over her even though, not even a second later, all she wants to do is present Alison with the outcome she’s hoping for. They both deserve it, the brunette muses with a faint smirk.

Her fingers slow down but put a tad more pressure where they move, brushing Alison’s clit a number of times without making the feeling too overwhelming, too soon.

It gets the blonde’s attention, her blue eyes fluttering open when she notices that she didn’t even realize they closed through an annoying jab of ecstasy mixed with frustration, and they lock with a warm shade of brown clouded by sexual desire and a layer of lovable lust. She wants to smile, or at least react with a short kiss as a result of how Emily is looking at her, but the brunette bites the corner of her own bottom lip with a slyness to the motion, slowly moving her finger against Alison’s damp center as she watches the blonde’s throat shift. Once Emily refocuses, with her finger still dragging along with clear purpose, their eyes lock again, but Alison’s begin to flutter shut with her lips parting when that same digit slowly pushes into her.

Emily does it again, going a bit deeper each time until she finally leans down to kiss Alison’s lips while returning to rub her fingers in the greatest of areas, making sure to hit every spot that her girlfriend loves and, in turn, earning the taste of a few reactions somewhat choked into her mouth, and nails scratch along her skin with a twinge of pain gracing her body.

A sudden need to taste Alison sends chills across her arms and back, a result of a particularly needy whimper that wasn’t at all muffled by her mouth, and Emily decides that she doesn’t want to finish her girlfriend off so soon. With her motions’ constant slowness, her fingers leave the blonde’s panties as she instantly drapes herself between opened legs.

Alison doesn’t protest, mainly because Emily puts a good amount of pressure between her thighs when she feels a vivid pulsating within her core, also being helped along when the brunette knows to shift her hips and thrust against her center to create at least a minute shimmer of friction. Emily continues slinking downward, managing to move her body the correct way to mindfully give Alison her fix of release, and she strives to capitalize on it when she undoes the blonde’s bra with ease.

They don’t even hear the miniature thud of Alison’s bra hitting the floor before Emily is leaning down to kiss along her lover’s chest, fingers tangling in her hair and scratching at her scalp. She moves to the girl’s left breast, palming the right with her hand as it grasps occasionally, and Alison is all too receptive with both stimulations. Her tongue swirls around her girlfriend’s nipple, biting it just barely before kissing the surrounding area and switching sides while the blonde enjoys every second of it with moans, whines, and whimpers that make it out of her sealed lips.

Emily pushes her body between Alison’s legs again, rubbing her torso against her center with the girl’s head tilting backward when the bed shifts. When she finishes toying with her lover’s chest, her mouth begins to trail its way downward with another series of kisses and bites, hands reaching up and gently squeezing her breasts one last time before her nails drag lower and stop when she’s level with Alison’s stomach.

It’s in this moment that her seduction fades, Emily only lingering in the area as Alison wonders, without looking down, what the girl is thinking about. She truly knows, though, and her lips seal even though her breathing remains altered.

With little to no movement otherwise, Emily moves her face closer and sensually kisses her stomach with a small bit of pressure, merely placing her lips against the firm skin beneath her mouth. A tiny laugh is given by Emily ━ mostly self-directed, as her eyes grow misty when realizing that this is the first time she’s had the courage to make this powerful of a move ━ and she does it another time, this peck being identical. Two kids, two kisses.

She smiles, rubbing her thumb against the area while Alison detects the emotion laced in her actions with equal parts knowledge that those pecks weren’t necessarily for her, but for their two babies, and she keeps her lips sealed until she’s able to look down.

The eye contact that ensues is only fluffy for a millisecond, Alison realizing that Emily probably doesn’t want to get too involved with a “mushy” moment when all she’s been trying to do is keep the atmosphere heavy and heated, and her theory is proved correct by the brunette’s shy grin turning into a devious, compelled smirk that says she knows what she wants to do. Clearly, the seduction is back, and Alison all but drops herself back onto the pillow.

She’s settled between the blonde's thighs in no time, the girl above her waiting in anticipation as she can nearly feel hot breath on her skin. The fabricated restriction is slid down her legs with a lack of warning, panties tossed to the side with everything else as lips press to her inner thigh. Again, Alison waits, knowing how Emily operates and which patterns she takes when being in this position.

Her mouth travels higher, shoulders beneath the backs of Alison’s thighs with her nails scratching against soft skin, and, with a knowledgeable tongue, the tip traces the outer length of her lover’s center, immediately feeling the girl’s legs twitch against her arms.

“Em, please,” Alison whines when she can tell that she’s being toyed with, but her frustration is answered by the brunette’s tongue pressing deeper.

She wishes she had the strength to breathe out a rapid appraisal for the way Emily tends to her with ease, but, in reality, her hands have to reach down with her fingers tangling in dark hair because her body feels way too tense and she has no idea what else to do. Her breathing grows ragged quickly, adding onto how disheveled it was beforehand, while Emily puts her tongue to work with occasional sucking gifted to the dampness between Alison’s legs. Hands, once again, come up and grab the blonde’s breasts, being an overload of differing stimulations as the blonde feels her body wanting to shut down.

The hold on Emily’s hair doesn’t help much, either, and Alison feels like she’s at a loss with the new type of tenderness between her legs being far more prominent than she imagined. She feels a specific numbness trying to break through, wanting to spread throughout her limbs in the most euphoric way, and her hands leave her lover’s head in order to grab onto the pillow where she rests, tugging on it. Her lower back tries to arch, Emily’s nails gently scratching down her stomach until her thumb is rubbing against Alison’s clit with a better friction being drummed up just before it’s replaced by the tip of her tongue while moving her hand so she can push a curved finger into her girlfriend.

The blonde’s mouth falls open with a deep moan being heard before it’s followed by sounds that don’t manage to gather their own strength, deep breaths taking their places as her legs tighten and hands ball into fists with the pillow’s fabric crushed in her palms, climax flowing through her body more than she expected.

Emily doesn’t slow down, in the meantime, simply curling her finger a bit more while applying undeniable pressure with her mouth, and it soon pays off as Alison’s orgasm subsides with a surrounding pulsing being felt against her knuckle and deeper, accompanied by a fresh wave of dampness.

The large heave of muscles contracting within her core invites an overwhelming sting of sensitivity that never occurred before, particularly once the pressure from her lover’s finger is gone, and she finds her legs trying to tighten with Emily not opting to move, having to forcefully push the brunette’s face away from her center before her body is completely slouched against the mattress.

Emily chuckles and partly wipes her face on her arm as she crawls up to Alison, making sure to fall to the side so her girlfriend can breathe as much as she needs to. She kisses her cheek, at least, casually situating herself by Alison’s side with an admirable smile on her face. Alison only breathes heavily, chest rising and falling at a sturdy rate with her mouth open even though she occasionally licks her lips when they feel dry. Her legs are also squeezed together, knees bent until she’s finally rubbing her heels along the mattress with a slight groan.

“Sensitive?” the brunette asks with a knowing tone, Alison not caring to deny it or poke at her jab of “insightfulness.”

“Yeah,” it comes out through a disbelieving exhale, not realizing that it would be that powerful, so quickly.

“Are you okay?” there’s her constant care, the blonde internally muses.

“ _Really_ okay,” she laughs as much as she can, Emily doing the same until she wants Alison to taste herself, gently turning the blonde’s face so she can kiss her mouth.

Her lips vibrate with a hum, Alison putting more effort into the lip-lock while turning onto her side and closing her legs, constantly feeling a pulsating between. She tries to focus elsewhere, grabbing Emily’s face with her nails hungrily scratching at the skin beneath the girl’s ear, but their motions mutually stop when the blonde backs up to get a good look at her lover with darker-than-usual, intense eyes that speak volumes ━ not to say it doesn’t get a wondering expression from the brunette.

Emily’s mouth falls into a straight line even though the corners of her lips want to turn upward in a childish grin, ready to question the girl and what she’s thinking about, but she realizes once she sees Alison glancing downward with the blonde’s hand falling away from her cheek until two fingers are drawing a line down her body, hooking into her underwear, and disappearing beneath the fabric.

When she’s caught off-guard by the motion, not being able to blink before feeling herself touched, her breath hitches immediately, a palm skating downward until a finger is dragging along her center and her leg is having to hook onto Alison’s in order to give her lover enough room to work. She touches their foreheads together, a result of her body leaning closer right as Alison adds another finger to stroke with, and she couldn’t find the strength to kiss bruised lips even though she feels compelled to do so.

In response to the gradual build that was already stirred up when she had shifted her hips before, Emily’s lower half twitches again, bucking slightly against Alison’s hand even though she tries to still herself and simply enjoy whatever the blonde has to offer. Luckily for her, Alison gets the hint, rearranging the way she angles her hand and managing to push a digit into Emily with the brunette moaning through her clenched teeth ━ a sight that’s also one of the blonde’s favorites. Her palm brushes against the girl’s clit, in the meantime, and both feelings are enough to invite Emily’s hand to grab onto her lover’s wrist, nails scratching at her skin as her orgasm already climbs higher and higher, just waiting to spill over.

Emily’s hips continue to shift, and Alison finally understands that the brunette needs a combination of stimulations to reach her release, using her other hand while she easily leans to the side and pulls the brunette on top of her. With Emily straddling her thigh, the girl has the capability of moving more freely, pressing down with Alison’s fingers working against her clit in the perfect manner. Emily leans down, mouth cracked open although she was attempting to kiss Alison, and the blonde bites her lover’s bottom lip right as her finger rubs in the area that proves to be Emily’s weakest point, sending her girlfriend over the edge with a cracked moan, whimpers, and her body feeling like it’s crashing afterwards.

With leftover whines and her body’s wave of ecstasy calming down, Emily buries her face in the crook of Alison’s neck, the blonde’s arms wrapping around her and feeling spectacularly great about the position when she thinks back to how her girlfriend used to act.

Time has certainly changed things.

Her hands run up and down the brunette’s spine, simply bringing her fingers along her back with a slowness as if she thinks Emily is about to fall asleep on her. She hits the girl’s bra strap a time or two, the garment suddenly acting as a barrier she didn’t originally notice when she was a bit too focused, and it’s sneakily removed within seconds as Emily finally lifts her head so they can share a half-assed kiss.

“Sensitive?” Alison lightheartedly mocks, Emily’s eyebrows raising with an oncoming smile breaking her mild surprise at the throbbing between her legs.

“Maybe a little,” with the slight admission, she leans in and manages a better kiss, lingering against her mouth for a second or two longer in a way that still holds a great amount of unreleased heat.

It’s noticeable, too, and Alison’s faint smile is a clear indicator that she’s not entirely finished with Emily in a mirrored sense. She stares into brown, lidded eyes with a focus that she imagines appears the same shade of unquenched desire, soon nibbling her lower lip with the occasional, shy flirtatiousness that often occurs when the silence around them, in a way, speaks volumes ━ like they can’t get enough of each other. Her features also hold swirling questions, at first not finding the attention to ask any of them, but soon having two of her fingers walk up Emily’s arm with a nonchalance, simultaneously asking, “Tired?” with a telling sparkle in her eye ━ one that her girlfriend catches.

“No,” an automatic grin appears, narrowing her eyes because, truly, she was ready to ask Alison the same, and she feels the girl’s fingers beginning to roam down her lower back. “Are you?”

Alison smirks with her usual deviousness, not giving Emily a verbal answer, but, instead, partly bending to the side and hooking her fingers around the brunette’s panties, dragging them down her legs with little assistance as her girlfriend licks her lips in readiness. Hands run up the back of Emily’s thighs, afterward, eliciting another deep breath until it’s caught in her throat with a chuckle ending the reaction when her ass is squeezed.

At the sound, Alison’s smirk deepens before it’s erased by a needy mouth, humming into the messy kiss before ultimately giving Emily her answer.

“You still have my attention.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emily, you little liar; "Not everything is about sex," my ass.
> 
> *Clears throat* Anyway… there's the in-control, confident Emily that I totally took away from you last time. For those who were searching for her, you're welcome.
> 
> You know I enjoy working through the smaller things before we get down to real business, and this is no different. So! First, there was a cute moment in this update, and I'm sure the majority of y'all can guess what I'm talking about. Let's get to it: I can't tell you how many posts I've seen on social media about Emily kissing Alison's stomach during sex, and I'd be compelled to agree it'd be a cute moment ━ not that I ever expected to see it on-screen, let's be real. I'm sure a few people were wishing to see it in their chapter ten moment, but, like I said back then, that was way more of a relationship milestone rather than a family one, and this is more maturing. Don't worry; I never intended on leaving that intimate gesture out, and it was definitely in my mind since the get-go of this story.
> 
> A less-happy thing that happened in this chapter was Alison's tinge of negativity toward the phrase, "no matter what." It's warranted, I believe, and I'll explain why: I think, although it's comforting, it's also a bit of what she thought in her mind: a buffer. She doesn't want them to be thinking along the lines, "Even if something happens, I'm with you." She wants them to be thinking, "No, nothing's going to happen. I'm here, and I'm always going to be here. That's it." ━ While the idea of someone sticking around "no matter what" is normally something positive, there is a negative side that's rarely shown, and a comparative I find useful to think about is when your parents tell you to have a back-up career in mind, just in case your dream job falls through. Sure, it's practical, but it can be looked at as an omen, especially if you believe in things like that. ━ I hope I've explained it a bit more.
> 
> Either way, Alison's distaste in the phrase is going to play a part in what finally gets her to express herself and what she wants in a future aspect, so, ultimately, it will create something more positive.
> 
> I hope the family realization was fulfilling enough for you guys. I know we've been waiting for what seems like years, I know a handful of you got antsy (so did I, admittedly), and I also know that I dragged it on. In my head, I had to drag it on for a while because this is something that shouldn't be taken lightly (again, I strive to make this as realistic as I can within a given amount of chapters/a certain time line), so that's my excuse, if you'd like to call it that. Anyway, we still have some ground to cover in the final, main chapter, and it's one of my favorite updates because it'll tie up a bunch of loose ends before heading into the epilogue.
> 
> If you're still with me (basically, if you're reading this), thank you, thank you, thank you.
> 
> Again, stay safe, stay warm, and stay happy.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Steps into echoing room*
> 
> Well, here we are… the final, main installment of this fic.
> 
> It’s been a wild, fluffy ride, my friends.
> 
> Let’s not harp on the impending finish, though; as always, I’ve saved the sentimental gunk for after the epilogue, but there is, indeed, sentimental gunk. You’re welcome.
> 
> How’s everyone’s week starting off? Mine’s cold and slushy (gross, may I add), and I’m thinking about burrowing myself under fifteen blankets whilst watching a CSI marathon for the rest of the day. We’ll see, though.
> 
> FOR NOW! We have a chapter to read, so continue.

Soft, dark brown strands twirl around Alison’s fingers as she pays attention to how she’s gently massaging Emily’s head, her girlfriend’s ear pressed to her stomach.

Emily occasionally shifts against her, though Alison also senses fingertips dancing across the fabric of her shirt with the brunette’s mouth obviously curving into a smile, and she constantly matches it from where her head rests on the pillow.

They’ve been lying around for the majority of this Tuesday, just lounging and occasionally dragging themselves into the living room to watch a movie or snack on something light. Since the get-go, it’s been their “lazy day,” starting with Alison’s nine-in-the-morning ━ early, if you were to ask her ━ proclamation of  _ “I could really go for some coffee”  _ with a raspy voice that all but owned up to what they had done the night before, just like a handful of nights since that fateful, Thanksgiving evening at the beautiful hotel.

Of course, Emily couldn’t deny the girl’s voice the comfort of a warm cup of coffee, nor could she just shake her head and roll over since she, too, had been a heap of exhausted limbs, so, without much thought, she gave her girlfriend a smile and sauntered into the kitchen with blue eyes following her backside on the way over the threshold. She returned minutes later with two mugs, handing one to her lover who, on sight, was happily sitting up while wearing a grin and nothing else, getting Emily’s attention all over again. The brunette bit her lip but tried to hide it behind her cup, not exactly doing herself justice when Alison smirked with the comment  _ “I’ll take that as a compliment.”  _

Their flirtatiousness persisted for a bit longer, not consistently in the form of banter, but mostly via glances and elongated look-overs, timid yet sexy grins, and occasional hand-touching. Eventually, however, they returned to their state of fluffiness ━ something that’s become a mutual favorite ━ and Alison lied back down, Emily leaning closer until she was able to lower herself, sensually kiss the blonde’s stomach twice, and shimmy herself upward to peck her girlfriend on the lips.

Alison smiles when she remembers the girl’s old, “what do I do?” type of attitude toward anything regarding her pregnancy ━ her stomach, technically ━ like at the beginning of their relationship when Emily wouldn’t even rest her hand relatively near her torso. Now, ever since that night in the hotel room, Emily can’t spend enough time lying with her ear pressed to Alison’s stomach, or lying close with her fingers drawing patterns on the blonde’s shirt.

Almost as if on cue, Emily nudges her cheek against Alison’s stomach again, turning her head to kiss the barrier between her and the two, unborn children, getting a bitten-lip smile from the girl above. 

Things have certainly been put into perspective, and Alison couldn’t be any more content with their relationship. Just this week, after a spur-the-moment lunch date, the two went baby shopping, mostly browsing through items and wondering what they’ll eventually have to get. On multiple occasions during the trip, Alison grew sucked into the clothing section, her features settled into that of curiosity as Emily caught onto her wandering mind, and followed suit.

_ “You want to find out their gender, don’t you?” _

_ Alison’s mouth opens at her girlfriend’s question, a calm, coaxing smile on Emily’s face as she stands a good amount of feet away. _

_ “I…” she turns back to the racks of clothes, crossing her arms gently. “Do you?” the question is turned around on the brunette, Emily licking her lips and approaching carefully. _

_ “I think it’d make a lot of things easier,” Emily purses her lips, looking around. “Like… buying clothes,” her hand vaguely gestures to the nearby displays, “and crib bedding, toys maybe.” _

_ “That’s not a yes or a no, though.” _

_ “I’m not giving you a straight answer until you give me one.” _

_ A large breath leaves her lungs, afterwards sealing her lips without looking into Emily’s eyes when her thoughts swirl further with options weighing back and forth. On one hand, not knowing what gender either of these kids are would give them something more interesting and less stressful to look forward to, however not knowing could undoubtedly create some stress when searching for things to buy. Cards on the table, yes, she’d love to know, mainly because she can’t help but smile whenever she finds herself staring at Emily’s baby picture while wondering what their kids will look like ━ and if they’ll be (almost) replicas of the brunette, herself, in a female form. She’s looked at the photo constantly, in fact, and, now that she thinks of it… yeah, it’s been a prominent question in her mind. _

_ Her eyes glance at Emily, the brunette clearly waiting for some sort of acknowledgment to what she said, and, when Alison’s shoulders slump, she also sighs with her eyebrows raising and face relaxing. A shy smile replaces her conflicting features, voice tiny when she speaks again. _

_ “I think I’d like to find out.” _

Emily beamed at her choice, asking,  _ “Really?”  _ before agreeing that, when the time comes, they’ll happily uncover the two’s gender. That, alone, made for a solid trip to the store, coming home with something far better than anything they could’ve purchased: agreement, or one question less to harp on.

It made Alison less frustrated, as well, prematurely erasing some of the woes that bit at her the following day when she decided to confront Jason with the information about the baby and Emily who, during the phone call, sat nearby for whatever moral support her girlfriend needed. The conversation went okay, Alison using it as an introduction ━ more like something to test the waters ━ to the actual webcam chat she had with Jason  _ and  _ her parents, an hour later. Quite frankly, although Emily was Alison’s major crutch for everything and anything, having Jason as a support system was also important to the blonde who knew her parents wouldn’t be over-the-moon and/or understanding about what’s going on, and he gave her that encouragement and protection with open arms. 

As expected, when the news of Emily being the biological mother to Alison’s children ━ another bombshell that came out within the call ━ spilt from the blonde’s lips, she was bombarded by question upon question and images of frowns and furrowed eyebrows from her parents. Luckily, Emily had left the room for this conversation (as per Alison’s request), so she didn’t have to bear the thought of the blonde’s parents not liking her when they put their relationship on the spot with accusations of it being solely based on the babies and nothing else. Without Alison’s voice wavering, she stood her ground and defended what they’d been through together, and how they fell for each other before they even found out the information through a random thank-you card, and Jason watched her back throughout the call by interrupting Mr. DiLaurentis when he grew a bit too skeptical. Alison smiled.

She remembers her own fiery words from the conversation ━ words that Emily heard ranted through the thickness of the bedroom door, as she mentioned it afterwards ━ and they taste the same as they did when she first spoke them:

_ “There was a one-in-a-million chance of this happening, first of all, and we wouldn’t even know if it wasn’t for me giving her two thank-you cards on separate occasions. I like to think it means something.” _

And it does mean something. It always has. 

Alison runs her fingers through Emily’s hair even more so, smiling down at the girl even though the brunette is turned away with her own fingertips drawing some sort of picture against her shirt for the second hour of this random, six o’clock relaxation period.

If Alison were to be honest, she’d admit that her parents’ words bothered her more than she’s owned up to, the two having the gall to question her relationship and poke holes in it without having a firm grasp on love, themselves. Maybe that’s mean, she thinks, or perhaps disrespectful since, truly, they’re certainly not the worst, but it’s unbelievable. She supposes it’s her hormones again, however, spiking her irritation randomly since she hasn’t thought about it for most of the day, but now she feels herself eye-rolling. It comes in waves, clearly. 

She sighs, then a smirk pulls one corner of her mouth upward when she remembers a recent instance ━ happening just yesterday evening ━ where Emily’s jealousy sparked, leaving her with nothing but sheer knowledge that, if she hadn’t comprehended the brunette’s attraction for her beforehand… it’s real. Her teeth bite at her lower lip, trying to stop her smile from taking over.

They had been at the pharmacy to pick up Alison’s prescription, enjoying themselves while standing in line, and making smiley chitchat about the first time they met. _ “I was standing right here, and you were checking me out from right there,”  _ Alison claimed with a smugness, Emily rolling her eyes with a curt  _ “Okay, that’s definitely not how it happened.” _

Their banter diminished once they approached the counter, Emily’s face gradually falling whenever the cashier ━ one of Spencer’s needy coworkers ━ decided to get a little too friendly with Alison who remained casual enough. Emily watched the interaction like a hawk, eyes all but burning a hole through the man’s lanky posture as his smile was blinding ━  _ too  _ blinding.

Over the man’s shoulder, both Emily and Alison caught Spencer do a double-take at the bubbly cash-out session, presumably noting how it didn’t sound as work-oriented as it should’ve when he started flirtatiously talking to the blonde about Gatorade flavors and her favorites. That, obviously, crossed a line ━ in more ways than one.

With a shuffling technique, Spencer pulled him away with (fake) news that it was his break time, and she replaced him without a word to Emily and Alison who had their transaction interrupted by the switch in cashiers. 

A lone  _ “Thanks” _ from Emily to Spencer was the only word spoken by the brunette before they slipped into the car in order to drive home, followed by an influx of silence and only simple answers whenever asked a question by Alison who picked up on the cold shoulder. She didn’t mention it, however ━ at least, not until an hour later when Emily was all but pouting on the couch.

_ “Okay,” within seconds of sitting up, with no warning, Alison shuts the TV off, “what gives?” _

_ “Hm?” her chin tilts downward as she allows the questioning hum to exit her throat, picking at a loose thread on her pants while pretending she’s only keeping to herself. _

_ “Why are you barely talking?” Alison turns to her, posture stiff. “You know, I thought  _ I  _ was supposed to be the moody one,” it’s more so comical and coaxing than anything, not angry but only wanting to get inside Emily’s head. _

_ The brunette shifts her jaw and looks down in response to the comparison, feeling stupid for letting something so minute burrow under her skin and bother her this much. Alison waits, trying to look into brown eyes that avidly stray away. _

_ “Talk to me,” her voice is gentle, almost alluring.  _

_ A deep breath is taken, Emily’s mouth opening and closing twice with nothing coming out until she leans her head back, looks at the ceiling, and readjusts herself so she can spill what’s on her mind ━ still without looking at Alison. _

_ “I didn’t like how the pharmacist looked at you, and the way he spoke to you,” she shrugs, but her eyebrows soon furrow with the need to rant forming in her lungs, almost as if the notion of admitting what she’s feeling is unbelievably freeing.  _

_ “I mean,” a curt chuckle exits Emily’s throat as her shoulders tighten, “no offense to you, but who flirts with someone who’s clearly pregnant?” _

_ The rhetorical question earns a quirked eyebrow with an expression of heightened entertainment mixed with mild annoyance, Emily’s mouth only falling open at what she just said, and turning to see Alison’s reaction.  _

_ “That was offensive, wasn’t it?” _

_ Alison snickers with wide eyes looking away, “On a scale of one to ten?” _

_ Emily groans and leans her head back, all but whining, “I’m sorry, I just…” _

_ She breathes out with her lips pursed, filling the room with a funny noise as her frame is slumped against the couch. _

_ At the loss for words, Alison carefully maneuvers herself so she can crawl atop the cushions, nimbly straddling her girlfriend’s lap as Emily’s hands grasp onto the blonde’s thighs so she won’t topple over. The brunette frowns quizzically, not understanding what the sudden positioning is for, but she pays attention to the way Alison tilts her head when they’re making eye contact. _

_ “If it makes you feel better, I didn’t like the way he looked at or spoke to me, either,” Alison admits with a sympathetic smile, brushing Emily’s hair behind her ear, “but it wasn’t worth causing a scene over. I had you by my side, and I felt secure, no matter what he was doing.” _

_ “Still,” after swallowing hard, Emily looks away, but she doesn’t get the chance to escape far as Alison firmly yet tenderly grabs her chin so they’re staring into each other’s eyes again. _

_ “I was also  _ happy  _ and where I wanted to be. With you,” Alison leans closer, pressing a kiss to Emily’s forehead. “Just like I am right now.” _

_ The brunette nods as much as she can ━ albeit slowly and hardly. _

_ “I’m not going anywhere,” it’s a promise, Alison stating with raised eyebrows as she feels Emily’s fingers twitch against her thighs while she’s held in place. _

_ The reminder of Emily holding onto her gives her an idea, wanting to get the message across loud and clear as she reaches for one of her girlfriend’s hands and moves it so the girl’s palm is pressed against the fabric of her shirt with a newfound intimacy.  _

_ With another round of conviction, Alison states, “ _ We’re _ not going anywhere.” _

Her words were taken a few different ways, primarily when she made a convincing argument to get into bed an hour or so after making out on the couch with an intentionally weighted tone detailing the phrase:  _ “I’m all yours.” _

Alison clears her throat when her mind begins to roam, especially under the comfort of Emily’s fingertips, and the sound grabs the brunette’s attention as her chin tilts upward to look at her girlfriend. They both smile, but Emily’s turns shy rather quickly with her head ducking so she can go back to having her ear pressed to Alison’s stomach. 

Part of her wonders whose heartbeat she’s listening to, knowing how small the babies are and the impossibility that she’s able to hear the sound beyond the walls of Alison’s body, but, either way, it makes her smile; her guess is that it’s the blonde’s heartbeat she’s listening to, and it’s just a constant reminder of how real the girl is, and how weightless she feels knowing how genuine they are together. It makes her unbelievably happy to have this type of intimate connection, knowing how close they can be or how true they can act without having it push them apart ━ it only brings them further together. Again, like this is where they’re supposed to be.

Them and their babies.

She rubs her lips together, shaking her head softly and breathing out a slight chuckle before turning her head and all but burying her face against Alison’s shirt, and the blonde laughs at the random motion. 

Fingers run through Emily’s hair more than before, Alison tilting her head to the side and licking her lips.

“What’s up for the rest of the week?” she chooses to ask, the vague wonder quiet without intent to disturb their moment of tranquility. “I feel like we haven’t really relaxed and talked, in a bit.”

“I feel the same,” warm brown eyes look up at her with a borderline-sad smile, also regretful, “I’m sorry.”

She strays away from giving into Emily’s belief that it’s somehow her own problem; it’s not that they haven’t had time alone, but it’s that they’re either consumed in something strenuous or mind-numbing like kissing until their lips are almost-literally bruised or watching television, respectively, and their “one on one” moments are normally killed by either of the two, never leaving them any room to have an everyday conversation. 

To ease her girlfriend’s worries, she continues playing with her hair, the motions only being stilled when Emily decides to shimmy her way upward so she can rest her head on Alison’s chest, instead of her stomach.

“I think everything's just been here or there. It’s not your fault,” Alison presses a kiss to the top of her head, Emily tilting her chin so her lips are graced with a peck, as well. “You come back to me, and that’s all that matters,” she mutters against the brunette’s mouth, teasing lightly.

It’s given a small chuckle, Emily pursing her lips while thinking of the week’s remaining, impending events ━ not that it’s bound to be very eventful, aside from one evening’s plans which, following a curt pause, she explains.

“Well, to answer your question, I know the others and I were all planning on having a movie night at Hanna’s house,” her eyes sparkle with a childish enthusiasm, Alison smiling when she remembers how the girl has been wanting to get back to her friend group’s old get-togethers. “By the way, they invited you, CeCe, Aria, and Ezra,” next, the invitation comes forward with a newfound cheekiness.

“Oh, so  _ you  _ didn’t invite me?” Alison gives her a gentle glare, mouth still curved into a grin.

Emily makes a thinking face, heavily (fauxly) deliberating the idea, but the blonde exposes the attempted, cat-and-mouse game by sighing with a sort of passive aggressiveness. 

“If you want to just have a movie night like old times, pretending to be your  _ brutally single  _ self…” at Alison’s underlying jab, Emily laughs at the evident exaggeration and wide, drifting eyes, “I can’t force you to want me there.” 

“You know I do,” gradually, her comedy dies down, her usual softness floating to the surface. 

Opposing her lightness, Alison sighs again, this time with a fake type of distress, “I’ll have to check my schedule.”

At first, Emily deadpans with a readiness to jump up and tackle her girlfriend with tickling jabs and whatever she can do to get back at Alison for acting like the idea of spending time together is such a hassle, but, when something similar to a light bulb goes off in her mind, her face morphs into that of realization as she nearly shoots up from her girlfriend’s chest with a sharp “Shit.” 

“What, what’s wrong?” quickly, Alison sits up with furrowed eyebrows and an extreme, worried frown at how frantic her girlfriend’s motions appeared, the brunette’s lone reaction being to snort and chuckle at her lover’s concern when her intentions weren’t to come off that skittish.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you that badly,” Emily continues to chuckle at Alison’s expression, the blonde’s body slumping with a face that, alone, could probably strangle the girl sitting beside her. “I forgot to take the team schedule when I was packing to come here.”

The statement causes Alison’s mouth to fall into a straight line, chewing her inner cheek and instantly evading Emily’s eyes which, really, don’t pay attention to her, anyway.

Her mind begins to race, not necessarily out of anxiousness but the mere fact that something has been poking at her for a while now, Emily’s living situation being the central focus of that debate because, quite frankly, Alison is tired of the girl having to leave, get more things, and come back. The lone drawer she freed for Emily’s space isn’t enough and she knows that, as well as she’s aware of the fact that, at the end of the day, it’s her own fault for not voicing her woes regarding the situation when she really should have by now, especially judging from how she called Mrs. Fields, over a week ago, with a nervous stomach and important decision in mind.

Overall, she’s wanted to make her apartment  _ their  _ apartment, and that’s a given; she’d be more than happy to invite Emily to live with her ━ particularly because the brunette is already at her house for ninety-five percent of each week ━ but every time she goes to open her mouth and spew the invitation, her throat chokes her up and she metaphorically falls flat onto her face.

_ “Maybe we should just be honest, or attempt to be, when we’re feeling things that are…  _ scary,  _ or just… what we consider to be so straightforward that it’s intimidating,”  _ for every instance she remembers her own words when she so-tenderly spoke to Emily after her appointment, her eyes feel the need to roll at how hypocritical she is; her thoughts vehemently lecture her on how she can’t expect the brunette to be genuine if she, herself, doesn’t take the same initiative, and she knows they’re right.

Through her heavy thinking, solid frown, and desolate gaze fixated on the window, she doesn’t notice Emily checking the time on her phone with a bitten, considering lip ━ not until the brunette is muttering a half-assed “Um” and sliding off the mattress before she’s standing.

Alison blinks hard, just in time to feel a brief kiss pressed to her lips as they’re left puckered when her eyebrows are furrowing at Emily’s next statement of “I’m going to get it, quickly.”

“Em, it’s late,” her attempt at getting the girl to stay put is scratched and clawed, eyes pleading as Emily comes to a standstill near the door.

“It’s only just past six,” she disagrees, making it sound matter-of-factly and carefree with obvious lack of realization when it comes to Alison’s growing distress. 

“Well, yeah, but… can’t you wait?” Alison frowns, voice breaking apart. “It’s still going to be there tomorrow morning,” the following laugh isn’t full of amusement, lacking the entertainment factor and being replaced with a tinge of disbelief at how nonchalant Emily acts about coming and going ━ in fact, her casualness saddens the blonde.

“I know, but━” again, without realizing, she goes to offer her own rebuttal, this time being cut off.

“Please, just stay here,” it comes out more snappy than she intended, Alison’s heart beating faster when she’s faced with the opportunity to finally invite Emily to stay, but her girlfriend furrows her eyebrows because, on the face of it, the blonde seems substantially upset about something so minor ━ not to mention conflicted.

“Ali, it won’t take long,” Emily stares at her, forehead creased. “I’ll be gone for  _ maybe  _ ten minutes,” she thinks it’s just Alison being protective and/or territorial, in a way, and hopes her insistence persuades the girl into realizing that it’s just routine.

But, really, that’s the problem: her “coming and going” is routine. 

“No, that’s not what I mean,” with a struggle, Alison all but deflates, finally slipping from the bed so they can be eye-level when she’s standing near the mattress, feet separating them.

The only response that comes from Emily is a confused look, eyes connecting with Alison’s while the girl, with a small, mental shove, states rather than asks, “Move in with me.”

At the request, Emily seems taken aback ━ not in a bad way ━ and a tiny smile peaks over her mouth because, as far as she’s concerned, she’s been waiting for weeks to hear Alison’s mutual desire to share a space. Of course, she’d never invite herself into the blonde’s residence without a proper invitation, despite how many half-assed offers she, herself, set on Alison’s plate to see if the girl would take the bait and finally ask her to stay. This is far more satisfying, anyway, partially because she can see Alison wanting to explain herself or expand on the request a tad more, and she waits where she stands.

“I’m sick of you having to leave and grab more stuff to stay over, Em. Just… stay here,” at the brunette’s silence, Alison forms a small rant with pleading undertones. “Make this  _ our  _ apartment.”

“I thought you were looking for a house,” the girl chooses to narrow her eyes and question Alison, curious about the timing of her invitation.

“I want to, yeah,” Alison quietly admits, swallowing hard and exhaling, “but only with you.”

She catches the smile that appears on Emily’s face before the brunette bows her head to hide it, Alison whispering, “Only if you’re by my side, making that house into an actual home,” to regain her attention.

Still, no response, but Emily seals her lips in order to stop herself from turning into a pile of mush with Alison’s blue eyes watching her every move, her gaze full of love and childish timidity like she’s afraid that the answer will be no. 

“Are you in?” with no answer, Alison’s throat clenches slightly and her eyebrows raise when she asks again.

“I already told you I’d co-sign if you need me to.”

Part of Emily wants to give in and accept already, mostly because she knows what Alison is trying to say without the girl directly asking the question of what she truly wants, but, on the other hand, the blonde has taken opportunity after opportunity to push her into being upfront, and now it’s her turn.

“But that doesn’t mean…” the blonde’s voice trails off, looking slightly panic-stricken but also tired due to thinking Emily doesn’t understand, however her lips seal tightly when the brunette shuffles a few steps closer through an act of encouragement.

“Mean what?” she asks, smiling just barely because she can tell the words are on the tip of Alison’s tongue, and she wants to hear them. “I need to know what you’re asking me,” her tone sinks to a whisper, reminding her girlfriend of what she said when they were at the hotel with an everlasting, coaxing nature.

With no response and a matched, fast-beating heart, Alison blinks heavily to escape the abrupt eye contact she made with Emily through the former, close proximity. Although her body feels like collapsing on the spot, her feet take her past the brunette so she can walk over to the dresser, opening the practically unused drawer and digging underneath the thick, hardly worn clothing. 

In the meantime, Emily furrows her eyebrows, only watching Alison rummage through the drawer until a somewhat-lengthy, cloth-covered item is being pulled out from below everything, the blonde carefully sliding the drawer shut before turning around so they’re face to face again. She can tell that Alison is nervous for a new reason now, and, admittedly, some of that emotion has transferred to the way she, herself, feels as she stands and waits with her girlfriend approaching until they’re separated by two feet of distance.

Shaking fingertips present the object to Emily, the brunette studying it until her focus flips back up to meet Alison’s, the blonde’s face suddenly lighting up with a silent, nudging expression of raised eyebrows and a faint smile.

Now, Emily feels like she’s been put on the spot, but she does as inaudibly told and carefully pulls the cloth away from what it’s covering, her lips automatically parting with the nervousness from before suddenly evaporating. The emotion is replaced with a sense of adoration and the essence of being in love with someone all over again, a new smile only appearing for the span of a millisecond before it drops in a type of dumbfoundedness directed at the house-address placard held in her hand, the joint name  _ “DiLaurentis-Fields” _ etched in gold along a black sheet of metal.

“This looks just like the one my parents have,” when she’s able to muster up an artillery of words even-toned enough to be spoken while still conveying her surprise, she lifts her eyes to Alison’s, the blonde wearing a shy grin. “The one they picked out for their━”

“━first house together,” Alison finishes her sentence with a gentleness, smile becoming more prominent as she pauses before explaining how she knew once Emily looks at her with curiosity. “Your mom and I have been calling each other, back and forth, and I…” she shrugs one shoulder, licking her lips, “I asked her what she thought about us, and if she thinks a house is a good idea, and… we met up, went out to lunch, and headed to the old shop where they got theirs made.”

As she gestures to the item, Emily’s eyes drift down to it again, amazed.

When they’re settled onto the topic, Alison gains an impishness to her voice, explaining, “I even kind of, already found a few places I think we’d both like.” 

Emily detects the tint of convincingness that Alison inserts into the way she speaks, like she’s trying to sway her without the need to do so. She doesn’t get the opportunity to look up and respond, however, before Alison is digging down deep and pulling out a better explanation of what she wants and how she views everything.

“I wanted to mention it soon after my ultrasound, or maybe even before,” Alison rubs her lips together, bowing her head and partly nodding to herself. “I kept trying to look at apartments, just in case something didn’t work out and I had to be on my own. I’m sure you even noticed that I didn’t seem enthusiastic over anything I looked at,” once she takes a breath, she straightens her back. “Even after the ultrasound, I still had a hard time coming to terms with what I wanted, and how I’ll never stop associating you with the idea of home and that life I’ve always tried to make.”

Emily smiles when Alison does the same, eyes sparkling.

“I don’t want to look at apartments anymore,” with a pleading, lovable grin and eyes exhausted from trying to push her feelings away, Alison stares at Emily. “I don’t want some kind of buffer, ‘just in case.’ I don’t want to hear the words, ‘no matter what,’ anymore,” she takes a breath, body relaxing. “I don’t want any  _ what if _ ’s, or to even entertain the thought of someday not having you here. You’re here, and you’re staying here.”

“Always,” Emily assures her, eyes wanting to fog up at the girl’s words.

The lone word puts her at ease ━ at least a fraction ━ and it gives Alison a firmer grasp on her own strength, swallowing hard and looking at Emily with a lack of her former apprehension.

“So, what I’m asking…” she forces a smile, Emily waiting. “Would you like to make a life together? You and me━well, us,” her eyes briefly lower to her stomach before staring at her lover again. “No more confusion, or questions, or… unknowingness about how we’re going to end up after everything. Just you and me, our kids, a cute, little house, that white picket fence…” her tone takes on its convincing attitude once more, the brunette smiling at the sound and how optimistic Alison seems. 

When Emily’s smile deepens, Alison finishes with an almost-silent “What do you say?” to which the brunette doesn’t offer a response, however she approaches more after gently placing the address plate down onto the mattress next to them.

They’re only a foot away now, Emily wishing she could cut the conversation short by leaning in to kiss Alison while destroying her insecurities, but knows they should both savor this moment. After all, they’re still completing their list of “firsts,” and maybe they always will be.

“Is this you asking to start a real family?” Emily doesn’t stray away from hiding how hopeful she sounds, not being able to stop the smile from rounding her cheeks. “Like… I mean, with a house, and… kids, and…” with an overwhelming happiness, she can’t complete a sentence, laughing slightly when she’s feeling so struck and love-drunk.

“And us,” Alison finishes the idea for her, feeling the same ━ not to mention relieved by Emily’s apparent enthusiasm of the concept. “Before anything… us, together,” she stresses, knowing that they’ve always based their relationship on the notion that they, first and foremost, are a pair of people in love. 

Emily beams, “You’re ready for all that?”

“Yeah,” her cheeks warm up at the way the brunette stares at her, matching her expression.

“Are you sure?”

A small laugh exits her throat, raising her eyebrows, “Positive.”

Without missing a beat, Emily presents her pinky with a slight glare, Alison smiling heavily with a constant silliness about the way they pinky promise everything. To finish off the deal, they lean in for a kiss, one, two, and three pecks being shared until Alison shuffles closer and is hugged by Emily. 

The blonde nuzzles into her girlfriend’s neck, body still gradually declining its energy from when it was so worked up with nerves at the impending, move-in proposal, but her mind roams while thinking about everything that’s lead them up until this point. She remembers how easily she fell for Emily, and the day they stumbled into each other’s lives even though, admittedly, that pharmacy visit was a hellish trip since she figured she had only embarrassed herself in front of a stranger. Of course, her mind doesn’t escape the remembrance of when Emily faced her with those two cards, and how, at that moment, she figured her life would be flipped and thrown into that of chaos due to her own, internal ramblings questioning the brunette’s intentions.

Now, she wouldn’t change a thing about how they got here, and maybe everyone says that about the person they love, but it’s an indescribable feeling that’s only understood when a specific level is reached. If she’s being honest, she never knew it existed, nor did she think she could feel so fulfilled when it comes to her relationship and, quite frankly, the start of her family. Up until Emily came into the picture, she was having this baby for herself, ready to create a life for both her and the child whether or not anyone decided they wanted to come along for the ride. Nowadays, she can’t picture her family life without the brunette whose arms currently tighten around her body, slightly rocking them where they stand clasped together.

She didn’t do this for herself, but for them, and Emily didn’t contribute to this situation for her own benefit, but, again, for them. Maybe it wasn’t always that way, but now?

They did it for their family.

Alison smiles against her neck, finally backing up and focusing on Emily’s features with a kiddish desire to be honest as her eyes remain brightened. 

“Do you remember what I said about how I’d try to be an open book with you?” the blonde suddenly asks, voice low. “I know it only happened a few weeks ago, but… do you?”

“Every word,” Emily nods, eyebrows slightly furrowed at the randomness of her question.

“There’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you for a while. Something besides the whole, house thing,” Alison grins faintly with an oncoming sense of shyness, dimples showing when she seals her lips even though her smile threatens to break the cheekiness. “Like, this is since the night you slept here after our first, real date, or what I consider to be our first date,” it ends with a ramble.

The other girl waits, not feeling nervous but simply weightless and content as she can see happiness etched into Alison’s appearance. Her heart beats quickly, however, tension being drummed up during the short pause.

“Elliott never knew I gave that card to you,” with a deep breath, Alison makes the confession. “He never had a part in it.  _ Any  _ of it, really. We discussed the procedure, and he wanted it to happen━or so he said━but…” she shrugs, a cute smile on her face that’s also timid, “me going through with it, and me writing to you, and thanking you…” her nod is more so self-directed, inhaling and exhaling, “he didn’t have a say, and I don’t think I wanted him to.”

Emily pays attention, holding onto what she’s saying because, since the very beginning, she’s wanted to know about what lead the girl to give her a thank-you card ━ aside from the obvious.

“In a weird way that might sound kinda ridiculous… I like to believe that you were with me from the very beginning,” her next admission is whispered, Alison taking her girlfriend’s hands so she can distract herself from nerves that dwindle, just waiting to be felt, “and I think that’s why I gave you that first card, even though you were anonymous. I wanted you to know that you weren’t just somebody to me, and that you meant a lot. Not just what you did, but…  _ you _ .”

The brunette’s smile comes from being somewhat stunned, not necessarily surprised by the explanation, but, in a way, honored, or overall in love with how Alison has always looked at her ━ despite the fact that, back then, they were strangers.

“So, in that card, those were all your words?” after a few seconds of thinking, Emily chooses to ask. “Only yours.”

“Every single one,” without missing a beat, Alison gives her a firm nod.

The curiosity that bothered Emily months ago comes back, remembering when she sat on the edge of her couch and pensively read Alison’s original card over and over again, wishing she knew whether or not the girl would take back what she wrote about starting a family. Standing here now, she still wishes she knew, and maybe it’s her chance to get an answer.

“Do you take back what you wrote? After everything that’s happened,” she’s careful with the question, studying Alison’s reaction ━ one that comes with a random frown and head tilt.

“Why would I?”

“You thanked me for helping you two start a family.”

Alison bows her head, shaking it and smiling through disagreement that’s shown when she stares into warm, brown eyes without intent to escape the silent conversation. Not anymore.

“No,” it’s not an answer to the question ━ at least, not really ━ but, immediately, Emily catches on to what she’s trying to say, too choked-up to voice another wonder while simultaneously waiting to hear it.

After a small wave of anticipation, Alison smiles again, giving Emily the satisfaction of hearing the words, “I thanked you for helping  _ us  _ start a family.”

She beams, “You and me?” and the blonde mirrors it.

“It’s always been you and me.” 

The sentiment brings Emily’s eyes to water, Alison not taking too long before leaning in for another hug, this time wrapping her arms around the brunette instead of collapsing against her body. It doesn’t stop Emily from taking a moment to kiss her, however, sharing a few, short embraces that speak volumes until, finally, she settles into warm arms, knowing that’s where they’re both supposed to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, how cute are these two?
> 
> Looks like we finally got an answer to that question (internally) asked in chapter five, when Emily wonders if Alison still means what she wrote in that first card. It’s nice to see Emily finally pushing herself to ask a question that seemingly means a lot to her, judging by the way it was the first thing to pop up after they argued back in chapter five, and it’s wonderful/satisfying to hear Alison’s response ━ especially because she can tell how much it means to her girlfriend. It’s a nice play on words too, knowing now that Alison meant what she wrote, but, back then, maybe she didn’t realize that she was writing it about her and Emily; we all figured she intended it to mean her and Elliott, but that’s obviously not true. She and Emily started a family together.
> 
> Like I’ve been saying in 90% of my author’s notes, this story was always Emison-centric, and never just about the baby. I’m not sure who caught it (or if anyone really looked into it), but one of my favorite lines is when Alison says, “And us … Before anything… us, together,” after Emily begins listing ━ questioning ━ if Alison is ready to be a family. It supports everything I’ve stressed (I know, I know; I’m the writer), and it’s important. The entire point of the story (or one of them, at least) is that, at the end of the day, their love is bigger than just “you, me, and our kids”; their love is them two, together. Alison has had extreme development within this story (obviously Emily, too), and it’s nice to see how far they’ve come. At first, when they originally stumbled upon those cards, we come from her almost dismissing Emily’s attraction and claiming that it could be because of the baby (now babies), but now she understands that it’s them, together, before anything, and it’s always been that way.
> 
> Also, I like to believe Alison is pretty damn sentimental. I mean, we saw her on-screen cheesiness for that little date in the woods, and then when she proposed with a Fields family ring, but I wanted to continue with that. We’ve seen, quite a few times, Emily trying to display the option that she’ll always stay with Alison in an apartment/house/whatever, but Alison never really took it. Everything with them (in this story) was always super complicated for more reasons than one, but we’re finally on the same page. Side note: Hopefully, all that extra-ness about avoiding baby-talk paid off for y’all. It did, in my opinion, and the destination we’re at is super sweet.
> 
> Now, if I were to express one regret for this fic, I’d say that I’m bummed I wasn’t able to include Jason or Alison’s parents in a real, solid scene. I feel like Jason would’ve been a great addition to Alison’s support system ━ like in this chapter ━ but I knew that bringing everyone in would mean a bundle of negativity and so much more unneeded complexity (in terms of Emison’s relationship), so I chose against it. At least now they’re aware of what’s going on in Alison’s life, and they’ll make a flashback appearance in the epilogue ━ all three of Alison’s family members.
> 
> Speaking of the epilogue, you’ll also be graced with the gift of saying goodbye to the girls’ friends, Emily’s parents, briefly meeting the little ones, and a few more surprises. I quickly want to apologize to those who thought we’d be seeing a bunch of family time between Emison and their kids; I thought I had chosen my words carefully enough to express that this would be primarily an Emison fic only involving Alison’s pregnancy milestones, however I understand that maybe I wasn’t as clear. Either way, I hope I took you on a nice ride.
> 
> In four days, I’ll be back to post the epilogue. After that, we’ll see where the future takes us (I know, how dreadful). I won’t talk about that now, though, and I’ll just leave you with a simple goodbye, another thank-you for dealing with me, and hopes that you enjoy these next few days.


	21. EPILOGUE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today's the day!
> 
> I know, I know, I shouldn't sound like I'm celebrating. Admittedly, I'm going to miss you guys ━ as I always do whenever a story ends.
> 
> Let's not bask in the dreariness yet, though; we still have a nice, closing chapter to finish up this story, and hopefully it concludes the fic perfectly.
> 
> Welcome to the family, everyone.

━  THIRTEEN MONTHS LATER ━ 

 

The sound of collective laughter and an overall good time floats to her ears as she stands in the kitchen, Alison’s iconic addition to the entertainment causing Emily’s mouth to curve into an adoring, “that’s my fiancée” type of grin although she’s fixated on finishing an appetizer platter ━ or, in her mind, creating an art project that she’s never been the best at.

Their house is full of light, most bulbs being colored for the quickly approaching, Christmas holiday as the scent of a fake pine tree faintly drifts into the kitchen through a large, open-concept archway, only feet from the living room. Occasionally, she catches a slight twinkling out of the corner of her eye, the result of a slowly spinning ornament hanging on a mid-level branch that was systematically placed to amuse their little girls time and time again. She smiles at the thought of their happiness, and how they’re often found cooing at the lights, odd shapes, and, well,  _ everything _ .

A creak is heard to her left, peering through the above-sink window to see her father manning the grill outside on the deck as steam floats above it, his dark hair covered by a velvet Santa hat as he makes light chitchat with Toby, Caleb, Spencer, and Hanna. Just past the grill, she catches the white twinkling of an earlier snow, creating the best possible, holiday atmosphere for their friend-and-family ━ well, to them, they’re all family ━ party. Actually, it’s more along the lines of a Christmas BBQ, but a party, nonetheless.

“Dinner’s going to be ready by the time you’ve finished your fancy cheese-and-cracker display,” Alison’s playful taunt is heard earlier than her approaching footsteps, coming to a standstill next to the brunette who shakes her head with a smile and only continues assembling the snackable items.

“You know, I was just wondering,” she stops, staring ahead for a brief second before turning to the other girl, eyes narrowed. “Is there a reason why you’re craving BBQ in the middle of winter?”

Alison presses her tongue to her inner cheek, amused, “You better not be hinting at what I think you’re hinting at.”

She goes back to delicately placing pieces of cheese in a neat, diagonal stack, resembling dominoes that have fallen over.

When Alison doesn’t get an answer and, instead, watches Emily seal her lips tightly with cheeks that threaten to give away her smile, she reaches across the brunette’s body and steals the girl’s apple-tasting beer ━ a beverage which she loathes ━ to take a sip, automatically making a disgruntled face before nearly dropping it onto the counter. Emily wants to snicker at her reaction, but only rolls her eyes with a jab of entertainment.

“Did you seriously only do that to prove a point?”

“Maybe for good measure,” with another hard blink, Alison recovers and clears her throat, Emily (once again) rolling her eyes at the girl’s tactic.

Alison realizes that she still hasn’t given Emily an answer for her question, soon taking a deep inhale before sighing lightly and claiming, “I just figured we needed a fun yet unique holiday theme.”

“Right,” Emily purses her lips and pretends she doesn’t believe the girl, getting a jaw-dropped reaction.

“Are you serious right now?” her mouth stays hung open in faux annoyance. “You haven’t seen a Gatorade bottle in this house  _ once _ since we moved in,” she lectures, “unless  _ you _ brought it here.”

Although she wasn’t serious in any aspect, the brunette tilts her head back and forth in a way that signifies she agrees, but Alison doesn’t let the conversation go when she adds a quick-witted “Plus your initial accusation is dead in the water from the get-go for obvious reasons.”

Now, Emily almost snorts at the comment, offering the sharp rebuttal, “Okay, well, I think we kind of defied all conventional relationship paths, to begin with,” with Alison staring at her, shifting her jaw, and falling silent.

Nothing more is thrown back and forth, primarily because they’re interrupted by the deck’s sliding doors being opened and Hanna slipping through with an annoyed expression.

“I swear,” she grumps, pointing a finger at Emily who immediately straightens her back with a frown, “he’s worse than you were.”

As Emily all but squeaks, “What did I do?” Alison questions, “Caleb?” with a snicker forming in her throat at her fiancée being verbally attacked with little to no warning.

“Yes, who else?” she answers the other blonde’s question first, afterwards ranting, “You and your little, ‘Ali can’t do this, can’t do that, can’t do  _ whatever’  _ lectures when she was pregnant  _ clearly _ rubbed off on Caleb because he won’t let me stay outside for longer than fifteen fucking minutes.”

Alison seals her lips while trying to stifle a laugh, crossing her arms with Emily at a loss for words as her mouth hangs open.

Hanna leaves the room with a final hand motion of throwing her arms up like she doesn’t know what else to do, disappearing behind the short, living room wall so Emily and Alison are left alone again.

The brunette turns to the girl beside her, eyebrows furrowed like she’s bound to ask some question about what just happened and what Hanna said, but Alison only reaches out with a baby-ish, sympathetic pout on her face as she rubs Emily’s shoulder.

“Before you ask… yes, you were bad,” she laughs, Emily ready to protest but not getting the chance to when Alison’s finger presses to her lips, “but I wouldn’t change a thing.” 

Still, Emily doesn’t get a word in edgewise, her lips carefully sealed by a short kiss, then another, before Alison smiles, briefly wipes her lover’s mouth, and leaves the room to join the rest of the others ━ with her fiancée’s finally assembled cheese platter. 

Brown eyes follow the other girl until she’s gone, then focus on their wall of red, holiday stockings hung with their four names:  _ Emily, Alison, Lily,  _ and  _ Grace.  _

Time and time again, she’s done this same thing, glancing at pieces of their ownership ━ the things they’ve bought together and built upon ━ while zoning out and remembering each and every thing they’ve gone through together. Most memories start from the very beginning, passing through how they got to know each other like it’s some flashback compilation on YouTube, but then they begin to slow down as she reaches around the current day, directing heavy focus on things such as when they found the most perfect house together ━ A.K.A. their nowadays residence.

Just like in Alison’s dreams, they managed to stumble upon a little, suburban farmhouse with a symbolic, white picket fence, three bedrooms, and a beautiful backyard. Of course, on the face of it, their  _ “DiLaurentis-Fields”  _ address placard is set for everyone to catch a glimpse of when they’re on the property, being something Emily beamed at with a cheesy glint in her eye when they first set it up. Alison kissed her on the cheek, in that moment, before they wandered inside and readied their home for the arrival of their kids ━ only months before the blonde’s due date.

They didn’t fail to make any bigger memories in Alison’s ━ or  _ their _ ━ former apartment beforehand, though, and that came in the moment of mutually feeling the girl’s stomach shift for the first time. That memory will forever be one of Emily’s favorites, remembering how Alison, initially, stopped talking in the midst of a sentence with the brunette somewhat panicking and easing her head forward as if to ask what’s wrong, followed by the girl looking down with squinted eyes and a slow-appearing smile while they both sat on the couch.

_ “Come here,”  _ Alison a bit harshly pulled Emily toward her, the brunette nearly face-planting on the couch cushion but complying and, after a minute passed and she felt it, scooting closer with amazed eyes and a never-fading smile.

Later that night, she carefully held her ear to Alison’s stomach and listened closely, the blonde allowing her to stay there for as long as she wished while her finger scrolled through homes to buy ━ including the one which they ended up purchasing.

Not everything was full of happiness and smooth-sailing emotions toward the end of their apartment-stay, on the other hand, and Emily recalls a particular instance when Alison’s nerves got the best of her ━ one time of quite a few.

_ “Can I be honest about something?” Alison sits at the edge of their bed, fingers tangling in front of her while Emily’s back is turned with her hands rifling through things within a dresser drawer. _

_ “Of course,” her light reply opposes her girlfriend’s demeanor, not picking up on the negativity surrounding Alison as she’s sat on the bed. _

_ “Like, without questions,” even though Emily isn’t looking at her, Alison timidly peers up at the brunette, the small-sounding request finally getting the girl’s attention with a frown masking her features. _

_ “Okay…” with a small wave of hesitation, she moves to sit down, slowly getting situated next to the girl with her posture somewhat turned.  _

_ At first, Alison loses the openness she was riding on, feeling like the air has been sucked from her lungs as she begins to zone in on the area in front of the bed. She licks her lips, however, and bites her inner cheek, eventually allowing herself to be exposed with Emily looking at her so lovingly ━ but also with deep concern.  _

_ “All that stuff I said about feeling excited to be a mother, and looking forward to what it means…” her eyes bore into the rug in front of them, face desolate, “I lied.” _

_ The other girl’s frown intensifies, especially when Alison continues with a shaky, exhaled laugh. _

_ “I’m fucking terrified.” _

_ She wants to ask why, and she wants to refute Alison’s claims because she knows the girl doesn’t mean that she’s lied about it, but remembers that she was told not to ask questions. Her mouth stays sealed for a second or two longer, but, soon, she licks her lips and tries her best to respond without poking holes in Alison’s claim. _

_ “Ali…” it’s sad but comforting, though it causes Alison’s upsetedness to spike.  _

_ “I’m serious, Em,” she looks at her, eyes watering. “What if I can’t do this? I know you’re here, but what about me? What if I’m not good enough? What if I’m not ‘mother material’?” _

_ “Stop with the what if’s,” when Emily speaks, her voice cracks slightly. “I know you told me to not ask questions, but…” she struggles with her tongue dragging across her lower lip, conflicted, “do you  _ want  _ to be a good mother?” _

_ “Yes,” Alison sounds exasperated, taken aback at the question with her eyebrows deeply furrowed, “why would you even ask that?” _

_ “Because that’s all you need,” the brunette pleads with her, a desperate smile on her face. “Alison, if you  _ want  _ to be a good mother, that’s already better than how a lot of people operate. You’re hardworking, and fun, and loving,” the list comes through an exaggerated tone. “You’ve come this far, put yourself through so much stress  _ already _ , just to make a solid life for these kids.” _

_ Alison bows her head, swallowing hard. _

_ “You’re not going to ace motherhood overnight, Ali. It’s new to you. It’s new to  _ me _. We’re working on this,  _ together _ , and we’re going to do fine,” it’s a promise, but Alison remains silent. _

_ “It’s okay to be scared,” Emily brushes some hair behind her ear. “I told you, a long time ago, that I’m right there with you. I still am.” _

_ Finally, she gains Alison’s attention with the blonde looking at her, not taking long before facing away and taking a deep breath. She shakes her head slowly, bowing it and raising her eyebrows with a monotonous “Just imagine if I was doing this alone.”  _

_ “I really don’t want to imagine that,” even though the situation seems serious, Emily still cracks the joke with Alison actually laughing at it, wiping her eye partly before her hands are fallen back into her lap. “I think you’d have made yourself at home in CeCe’s apartment, by now.” _

_ “No,” Alison disagrees, sniffling heavily and giving Emily a dopey grin. “Aria’s place is nicer.” _

_ Emily giggles, not hesitating to lean in and kiss Alison with a lightness about the way she sticks their lips together and lingers close afterwards. The blonde waits for something more, eyes wanting to remain shut but flickering open to see if Emily plans on kissing her again with such timidity, however her wonder is proven correct when their lips are tapped together once more ━ this time for a few seconds longer.  _

_ “So,” when they break apart for the final time, Emily feels Alison’s fingers playing with hers atop the comforter of the bed, “are you okay for the night, or are you going to cry again? We only have fifteen minutes until our show is on.” _

_ It gets a big laugh from Alison, then a scrunched up face as she playfully shoves the girl off the mattress with a joking “You’re such an ass” while Emily steadies herself and goes back to what she was doing before. _

_ Her hands pull a shirt or two out of the drawer, making a pondering face at the garments before putting them back as Alison comes up behind her with a newfound, ready-to-go taunt that opposes how she was a pile of uneasiness, just minutes ago.  _

_ “And here I was… ready to keep you held hostage in the bedroom all night,” Alison whispers in her ear, Emily’s posture stiffening. “It’s fine, though. I’ll take care of myself.” _

That happened only weeks before they moved, the final time at the apartment being spent with boxes scattered throughout the space ━ a result of Emily’s things finally being mixed with Alison’s within the residence’s walls. They made decent use of their time, though their eating schedule was royally fucked by most of their evenings involving shopping for the new place, packing, Alison’s still-altered appetite, or a combination of all factors. 

It was worth the exhaustion and malnutrition, however, both because of the outcome and because, in a comical turn of events, Emily found out something new about Alison ━ not to say anyone planned it, nor was it really explained ever.

_ Alison stands at the dresser, humming to herself while tossing random items into a box like they’re the least bit important. Emily, on the other side of the room, checks and rechecks areas, making sure everything substantial is accounted for as they decided to work from the little things, upward. _

_ She’s focused on the bedside table, first grabbing what’s on top before casually sliding the compact, squeaky drawer open and hesitating with a half-snort, half-chuckle through sealed lips before trapping the tip of her tongue between her teeth and raising her eyebrows. _

_ “Um,” now, it comes with a shy laugh, not knowing if she should ask, but doing so, anyway, “what do you want me to do with this?”  _

_ With two fingers, she presents a small, very un-innocent object to Alison as a childish giggle is heard, the blonde immediately going wide-eyed once she’s turned around to see Emily holding the sex toy that CeCe once bought her. _

_ Internally, she curses the girl, realizing that the other blonde likely stashed it into the bedside table when she asked her to transfer the rest of her things into this apartment. Alison makes a face and shifts her jaw, quickly advancing toward her girlfriend and snatching the object away from her as the brunette continues to giggle until it fades with a smirk being left behind. _

_ Alison, on the other hand, pretends she’s better than the pit of embarrassment she’s fallen into, deadpanning and glaring. _

_ “Grow up. Don’t act like you’ve never seen a sex toy before,” she squints and points it at her, Emily sealing her lips before shrugging ━ a reaction that gets the blonde’s attention. “Wait, you really haven’t?” _

_ “I mean, at stores,” Emily shrugs again, “and this one time at Hanna’s,” it comes with a gross face, “but…” _

_ The blonde stares at her, face rid of any expression while theorizing, “I’m gonna take it that you never used one, then.” _

_ Emily looks sheepish for being asked, though her lack of admission or dismissal confirms Alison’s theory as the girl begins to look like the face of innocence in some weird way, causing the blonde’s smirk to grow. _

_ “Huh,” before turning around again, Alison’s deviousness shines through, slyly dropping the item into the box of things to take to their new house as Emily licks her lips and━ _

“There’s the other soon-to-be Mrs.,” Mona smugly interrupts her thoughts, Emily raising her eyebrows in attentiveness in hopes that she doesn’t, in any way, shape, or form, reveal what she was thinking about.

She turns to the girl, noticing that she’s carrying an observant, seven-months-old Grace in her arms with the baby’s hand nearly shoved entirely in her mouth. Emily smiles at the sight, mostly because of how Mona has proven to be borderline exceptional with their kids ━ something the brunette wasn’t always aware of, but was then explained to that the girl had various, babysitting jobs when she was younger.

_ “Like your own, real-life version of Fran Fine,”  _ Hanna claimed with a drone and toying eye-roll, Mona glaring heavily.

_ “Okay, my voice isn’t that bad.” _

_ “At least she had a good fashion sense for her time,” _ Spencer added while waving a fork between the two.

_ “Yeah, if you like cheetah print and hot-pink, high-waisted pants,”  _ CeCe disagreed.

_ “Fashion is subjective,”  _ Aria sided with Spencer.

_ “Says the girl who worked at Forever 21,”  _ Alison teased.

Emily approaches Mona ━ well, the little girl she’s carrying ━ and fixes Grace’s “holiday” shirt, though her finger is grabbed partly until she carefully pries it away and makes a face at the baby, earning a smile. Mona, in the meantime, talks to Grace with a babyish tone, the entire ordeal looking a bit funny to an outsider ━ or, technically, to Spencer as she walks through the sliding doors and into the kitchen with a quirked eyebrow before she scurries straight into the living room with the others.

“Do you want me to take her, or are you good?” Emily asks Mona, the girl’s eyes lighting up.

“I’m fine,” she speaks like she’s talking to Grace, tilting her head to see the little girl. “Just figured she’d want to visit her other mommy,” the words are granted a smile from the brunette, though it’s erased when Emily leans down to kiss the baby’s forehead.

She gives them a dorky wave as Mona turns and walks out with the baby cradled in her arms, Emily only getting a small look at the girl handing Grace to Alison as CeCe, nearby, holds Lily. Emily hums at the sight, though she raises her eyebrows when thinking about how she’s surprised that Hanna hasn’t stolen one of the girls in recent hours; usually, the blonde shuffles into the house and all but snatches both babies, one after the other (or sometimes together), while sitting on the couch with cooing voices and beaming grins. 

It’s only gotten more interesting in recent months, and that’s because, after Hanna became pregnant, there was a short time of the girl being timid about anything having to do with children as a result of being fearful toward her own future. Emily remembers the meeting like it was just yesterday, and how Hanna spilt the information to her three, closest friends within the confines of a completely vacant diner, late at night.

_ “What, you don’t want children?” at Hanna’s grimace, Spencer asks with a quizzical frown, knowing how happy the girl gets whenever she’s holding a newborn Lily or Grace, and Emily, nearby, does the same with Mona’s expression being hard to decipher. _

_ “No, that’s not it,” the blonde sighs, her frame sunken in as she sits on a stool with her fingers tangling every now and then. “For starters, I don’t want to be pregnant for my wedding,” she goes wide-eyed with the mutter, and her friends give an assortment of understanding, “yikes” faces when they’ve forgotten about the dilemma, “and, also, I don’t know if I’m ready yet.” _

_ “What about him?” Spencer feels cautious, voice low. _

_ “He’s excited,” Hanna perks up, a bit of sarcasm and loathing strewn within, “but of course he’s not the one carrying it.” _

_ Emily tries to hide her smirk but fails, remembering how excited she was even though Alison had the short end of the stick for every ounce of pain and sickness. Hanna catches her reminiscent smile, too, and partially scowls at her friend. _

_ “Yeah, I see that smug face,” she puts the brunette on the spot. “It’s all fun and games until  _ you’re  _ the one waking up early to a pounding headache and the toilet calling your name,  _ plus  _ the image of having to push a watermelon out of your━” _

_ “Don’t say it,” Spencer interrupts, and Emily’s lips seal as Hanna takes a breath to rid herself of the oncoming rant. _

_ For the first time in minutes, Mona begins to shake her head with pursed lips and a sigh, airily saying, “This is what happens when you and Caleb have more time to spend together.” _

Nevertheless, her short bit of “baby avoidance” didn’t last long, and she grew into feeling comfortable ━ at least moderately ━ with the idea of starting a family quite soon after her wedding which, actually, took place around three months ago at her mother’s hotel, being the place where Emily and Alison would, a night later, get engaged.

It was the morning after Hanna and Caleb’s wedding, and Emily surprised Alison with another night’s stay in the suite they once rented over a year ago, claiming,  _ “My parents are willing to watch the girls for another night,”  _ with her own batch of enticement that, really, the blonde wouldn’t even  _ try  _ to turn down. Emily assumed they both wanted to stay longer, anyway, judging by their overly stuffed bags for the occasion that, in turn, were packed just enough with the proper proposal requirements.

Emily sat on the edge of the room’s bed, a result of Alison telling her to stay there because she didn’t want to wait much longer, and the brunette’s forehead creased even though a faint smile stayed upon her mouth. The blonde, turning around and approaching, slowly got down on one knee, then sturdied herself on both in attempt to be unique with her proposal, and Emily’s smile grew when she was presented with a family-owned ring ━ another idea that Alison got from the girl’s mother. 

At first, Emily didn’t give her a response even though her expression spoke volumes of confirmations and happiness, but, within seconds, her soft voice came through as Alison tilted her head to the side.

_ “Before I answer  _ yes, _ I do need to say something else,” Emily licks her lips and smiles hard, having to bite her lower lip to stop herself from ruining what she wants to do and say. _

_ “Okay…” Alison is skeptical but not as nervous due to the way the brunette can’t help but look so childish and smitten, her suspicions growing with her face falling little by little as Emily gets up from the bed and walks over to where their suitcases reside. _

_ It’s a short time as she hears rummaging through a small pocket within the bag, Emily afterwards turning around with her hands cupped slightly but unnoticably, and she somewhat-absentmindedly explains, “I’ve recently remembered that you paid me a great deal in order to start our family, and, like most things in our relationship, that’s a little unconventional.” _

_ Alison laughs at the girl’s words, Emily walking back to where the blonde still kneels even though her butt now rests on her bent legs. Emily looks down at her through the slight angle while she’s still standing a few feet away, smiling with her lower lip bitten by her teeth as the fireplace cracks nearby and creates an inescapable ambiance.  _

_ “I’ve been meaning to pay you back by giving you something, and…” Emily takes a breath, “judging by what you just asked me, I think we’ve both been wanting the same thing for a while.” _

_ The blonde doesn’t have time to process what’s happening, Emily feeling her limbs shake even though she gets down on her knees to match Alison’s slouched position with only an inch of space separating their legs upon the floor. Slowly but surely, her hand presents a beautiful, sparkling ring as the fire’s flames look like they’re dancing across the band, Alison smiling heavily as Emily mimics both the expression and the emotion. _

After everything that happened, even before the girls were born, Emily knew that they’d be together forever, and that’s what she wanted. She supposes that Alison knew, as well, because those blue eyes were always sparkling with love and seriousness whenever they simply shared a glance or spoke about the future.

If you asked Emily, she’d admit that she would’ve asked Alison before the girls were born, but she knew that 1) life was already hectic at the time, and 2) the blonde would be waiting around, so there wasn’t a rush. Looking back, she wouldn’t change how things went for them, and how their pattern of events fell into place perfectly, like their relationship went from being “standard,” to that of something condensed; they made such a great life together within a short amount of time, and that’s something Emily feels proud of. 

There’s that sense of accomplishment, again.

The same sense of accomplishment that’s been returning time and time again, but furiously smacked into Emily when those two little girls were born after hours of labor that Alison endured ━  _ seriously  _ against her will. 

In fact, the end of Alison’s pregnancy was the most hellish, and that’s because the girl was put on bedrest for weeks before her due date in fear that she’d give birth prematurely, and, during that time, the blonde nearly flat-out refused to stay still even though the doctors repeatedly stressed that she had to.

They’d have a nurse come to the house every now and then, ready to check on a restless Alison that Emily couldn’t keep at bay for longer than two hours at a time. Alison could do minimal things ━  _ very  _ minimal ━ like keeping herself healthy and clean. Otherwise, she was metaphorically chained to the bedroom with nothing to do. It made for a constant, snappy attitude ━ one which Emily ground her teeth at, a time or two, and fought back on a few occasions when it became too much ━ while lasting for the extent of a string of weeks until, one day, Alison grew so fed up that she ignored the brunette’s (and the doctor’s) demands and dragged her bent frame into the kitchen. 

Suddenly, her face contorted partially. Then, she looked conflicted, pained, and unknowing of what to do — a very obvious, silent yet suffering look that Emily figured was a joke to make her stop worrying so much, just like back when they went pumpkin picking.

_ “Ali, that’s not funny,”  _ Emily watched her with a frown, though she carefully reached for the girl so she could bring her back to the bedroom ━ a plan that was cut short by Alison’s regretful yet aggravated response and following, shaky breath.

_ “I’m not kidding around.” _

Flashforward through hours of strenuous work on Alison’s end after her water actually broke, and a large wave of pacing on Emily’s side of things while they both grew exhausted in a variety of ways, their family expanded from two to four, and the blood, sweat, and tears became worth the months of waiting around ━ not to mention everything else they went through, as individuals.

They both cried, Emily more than Alison because, once she heard their first baby cry, that sense of accomplishment filled her lungs while clenching her throat, suddenly recalling the time she walked in and out of that clinic without the knowledge of what the future would hold for her  _ or  _ the eggs she gave up. Knowing they were healthy, after all that time and after she “gave them up”… it meant everything, and it still does. 

Eventually, after a while of breathing and regaining a sense of reality, when she was able to focus, Alison reached for Emily from the confines of her hospital bed, taking the girl’s hand when she saw how emotional the brunette appeared. It came with an inaudible instruction for the girl to come closer, and Emily gave her a kiss on the forehead followed by a  _ “Thank you”  _ that Alison will never forget.

Their friends brought back the humor they lost during those extensive hours, CeCe and Aria coming to visit with enthusiastic features and hugs until the blonde backed up and glanced down with Emily standing in front of her.

_ “Jesus, did she actually break your hand?” she catches the bandage wrapped around the girl’s fingers, bug-eyed and wondrous with Aria looking mildly frightened. _

_ “What?” Emily raises her arm, catching sight of the hospital-given bandage that Alison requested for her after a flush of black and blue bruising occurred on the girl’s hand. “Oh, no,” she finally snickers, “I was so panic-stricken while getting Ali into the car so we could drive here that I slammed my hand in the door.” _

Emily chuckles at the memory, shaking her head while removing her palms from the countertop. The sliding doors open again, her father walking into the kitchen with Caleb and Toby in tow, setting a plate of BBQ-ed food onto the center island.

“There’s more where that came from, too,” Mr. Fields boasts without Emily saying a word, though the brunette raises her eyebrows. 

“Smells delicious,” she admits, face turning into interest when she sees a fallen-apart rack of ribs that looks like it was smashed onto the ground and thrown onto a plate, “but what happened to that one?”

As she grins at the oncoming story, Toby looks at Caleb who wears a guilty face.

“Mr. Tech Geek over here doesn’t know how to work a pair of grill tongs,” Wayne makes a face, poking fun at Caleb. “Somehow dropped the ribs straight through the grate.” 

“In my defense, I wasn’t paying attention,” Caleb shakes his head, chuckling with Toby taking a swig of his beer to stifle his laughter.

“Yeah, that’s a great defense,” CeCe walks into the kitchen, eyebrows raised. “I’ll be sure to use that one in my next case.”

“Remind me to never hire you,” Ezra passes by from behind her, Aria doing the same even though she stands next to the blonde.

“You can’t afford my rates,” she nonchalantly takes a sip of her drink with a smirk threatening to break the action, everyone else booming in amusement.

“Why are you laughing?” at Aria’s joint entertainment, Ezra narrows his eyes at her. “My finances are your finances.”

“Yeah, but she didn’t mean to burn me,” Aria leans on CeCe’s shoulder, the blonde resting her head closely with a cheesy smile. 

“Who’s burning who, and why wasn’t I here to witness it?” Mona enters, pushing through the crowd standing around within the archway so she can move into the kitchen, plates clinking as Mr. Fields and the “cooking crew” begin to display the foods for dinner.

“Because you’re baby crazy and wouldn’t give the kid up,” Spencer follows suit, snorting to herself before shuffling over to where Toby sets things up with a flirtatious “Hello.”

“Isn’t it interesting how Spence ended up with, like, no attachment to children, whatsoever, while her sister basically deals with babies for a living?” Hanna adds to the conversation as she slips into the crowded space, squinting with the brunette in mention sticking her tongue out.

“She’ll change once she has one of her own,” Wayne interrupts with a solid voice even though he pays attention to what he’s doing to the display of food, Spencer’s mouth falling open with a curt laugh coming out.

“Um, actually━”

“You don’t question Papa Fields, Spencer,” Mona warns, and Hanna purses her lips in agreement.

“Even  _ we  _ know that,” CeCe raises her eyebrows while gesturing to both herself and Aria, having met the man on multiple occasions at family events. 

“That’s just plain sinful,” the other blonde nods, and Emily snickers while sliding against the counter until she’s able to maneuver her way out of the cramped kitchen, nearly stumbling into the living room where she sees her mother and Alison sitting on the couch, side by side, with Lily and Grace in their laps, respectively.

The wall-bound television rumbles on nearby, though neither Mrs. Fields nor Alison focus on what’s being shown, and their attention is only mixed with occasional conversation, otherwise being given to a sleeping Grace and a barely awake Lily. 

Like most of tonight, her lips curve into a tender smile, studying the way her mother looks so in love with the baby in her arms, and equally with the other resting comfortably in the blonde’s. Ever since the girls were born, her mother’s coddling persona has amplified, and she remembers the way the woman’s eyes misted up almost before she even passed over the hospital room’s threshold. She instantly fell for the two, new additions to their family, and every little, pessimistic woe even-vaguely revolving around Alison’s pregnancy automatically melted away when she gushed over how beautiful they were ━ followed by hugs upon hugs, tears, and her bonding moment with Alison while Emily spoke with her father.

It was a somewhat-different experience than when Alison’s parents came to visit their daughter in the hospital, that being the first, personal face-to-face Emily held with the older couple ━ Jason, also. At first, Mr. and Mrs. DiLaurentis seemed out of place, not only around the brunette but also with their daughter and their new grandchildren, however the visit turned warmer, and Emily could tell that Alison was thankful for their appearance.

Emily made quick work falling into their good graces, timidly asking them if they’d like to hold their grandkids since it seemed that they weren’t sure if they’d be able to request it, and Mrs. DiLaurentis came off more stunned than ecstatic, however she nodded happily with a quiet _ “If it’s okay with you two.”  _ At the time, Emily was curious about the response, more so because Alison always claimed that they were all on good terms, only lacking in the personal-oriented qualities that most families have, but she could also tell that Mr. and Mrs. DiLaurentis were overall, silently apologetic toward their daughter for what happened in the past ━ and maybe they always will be. Jason even bowed his head and watched the encounter like a hawk, being a bit more lively and getting along great with Emily while everyone tried to keep an optimistic vibe about the visit.

Nevertheless, when they were leaving, Alison offered both of her parents a round of _ I love you _ ’s and a collective _ “Thanks for coming” _ before the two turned to Emily and held their own appraisal of  _ “Thank you for taking of her. For taking care of all of them.” _

Currently, Pam’s eyes lift from the baby for the first time in minutes of Emily standing in the archway of the living room, that being her cue to shuffle closer with a quiet “I’ll take her. Dinner’s ready, and Dad’s waiting for you.”

“If I  _ have  _ to,” the woman exaggerates the disruption, albeit she wears a grin while standing up once Emily scoops the now-sleeping Lily from her arms.

Alison chuckles at what Pam said, looking at Emily and asking, “Should we put them upstairs? I think they’ll be out for a while.”

“You  _ hope  _ they’ll be out for a while,” the brunette retorts, Alison raising her eyebrows while getting up with Grace still snuggled into her arms.

One after the other, Emily and Alison quietly travel up the stairs while the sound of guests laughing in the kitchen begins to fade out until it’s muffled by the floor beneath them, the couple taking a left, walking down the hallway, and ending up in a newly renovated (thanks to Toby) nursery with two cribs and an assortment of baby-esque items. 

They put the girls in their respective cribs with a round of kisses due to their usual, nightly ritual before walking over to the other child, Grace stirring once she’s kissed on the head while Emily silently prays that she’s not already waking up from the small embrace. Luckily for the two of them, the brunette only watches a tiny, innocent smirk appear on Grace’s face, signifying that she’s still asleep, and an inaudible breath of relief exits her throat before turning around to see Alison slipping away from Lily’s crib.

“The monitor’s downstairs, right?” Emily whispers while crossing her arms, eyes drifting between the adjacent cribs without looking at Alison who does the exact same.

“Yeah, I brought it down earlier,” Alison rubs her lips together.

“It’s not on yet, is it?” the brunette smirks, turning to her fiancée. “If it is, I’m sure Hanna’s more than happy eavesdropping on us.”

The other girl laughs quietly, “No, I’ll turn it on when we get downstairs.”

“Okay, good,” she nods, the pair constantly reveling in the fact that they’ve started a family together ━ something that Emily has become more and more attuned to, and something she’s thankful for.

Something she wants to voice her thankfulness for.

“Come on,” Emily nods to the door, getting Alison to follow as they pass over the room’s threshold in order to go back downstairs ━ or where the blonde figured they’d be going until her fiancée took a left into their bedroom, instead.

She slightly frowns with skeptical eyes, “Where are you going?”

“I’ve got something for you,” Emily turns around, diluted grin on her face as she stands only a foot or two into their master bedroom, also holding a lowly flirtatious demeanor about the way she tilts her head with sealed lips.

Alison offers a curt, assuming laugh that’s a shade exhausted, “Em, I know how much you thrive on holiday spirit, but there are people downstairs, and we don’t have time to━”

“Do you seriously think I’d ask you for that right now?” after the theory is in the air and she’s caught on, Emily deadpans and Alison’s mouth falls open while looking away with an exaggerated, “oops” kind of shrug.

“Well, I wasn’t sure if you had a spur-the-moment, exotic━”

“Just get in here,” Emily waves her arm emphatically, causing Alison to sigh and follow direction until she’s standing in the middle of the room with raised eyebrows and a cocked head that inaudibly asks what they’re doing in there.

Without giving Alison the satisfaction of hearing a verbal answer, Emily saunters over to a drawer in their tucked-away, hardly used (but still decorative) desk, digging through its contents before pulling out some piece of paper that blue eyes narrow at.

A certain timidity comes with the way Emily presents the object ━ a card ━ just like when Alison offered the brunette one of her own to start their first, out-of-pharmacy encounter, outside the girl’s apartment. On the front of it, the words  _ “Thank You”  _ are present, being colorful even though it’s written in a fancy type of script, and Alison licks her lips in thought.

She takes it with a suspicious smile, however, eyes sparkling as Emily waits for her to open it, and the blonde can’t stop herself from asking, “What’s this?” before daring to peel the cover back.

“Just a little thank-you note,” she responds with a mixture of pride and cheekiness, Alison giving her a small laugh before her shaking fingertips open the colorful card.

Inside, there’s not much to be seen or read, but the message it conveys is quite clear, mimicking that of what she wrote to Emily when the brunette was still known as her anonymous donor:

_ “I’d like to express how lucky I feel to have connected with you, on every level. I’m sure we’re both aware that a simple ‘thank you’ will never be enough, but it’s definitely a start, and I’ll always be thanking you for helping us start a family.” _

Her throat clenches with happy tears threatening to spill at the random gesture, and she allows herself to breathe while Emily explains, “I know Christmas isn’t for another week, and this is really coming out of nowhere, but… I didn’t want to wait to give you that. I think you always deserve to know that I’m thankful.”

Alison looks up at her, eyes still watering but maybe not as much as seconds prior, and her fiancée finishes, “I’m not the only one who helped start this family, and I hope you know that. You’re their mother just as much as I am, and it’s been that way since the very beginning.”

The blonde seals her lips and bows her head, placing the card on a nearby table before shuffling closer and cupping Emily’s cheeks with both hands. She smiles and the brunette does the same, Alison slightly leaning up and pecking her twice on the lips with the world’s lightest pair of kisses, soon whispering, “Thank you.” 

Emily can tell that Alison is sulking in a vat of emotions, and part of her knows that the blonde doesn’t wish to go back downstairs with tears in her eyes ━ no matter what kind they are ━ so a smirk turns one corner of her mouth upward, muttering, “You’re thanking me for my thank-you card?”

She earns a laugh, Alison nodding, “Yes, I am.”

“Well, then, thank you for thanking me for my━”

Alison shakes her head but kisses Emily so she’ll stop talking, the brunette humming against her mouth and enjoying the embrace wholeheartedly as it’s extended for another ten seconds or so until the blonde finally disrupts it with an oncoming smile.

“You know, I think I’ve changed my mind about not having time to hide away from our guests for a little,” Alison mutters against her lips, but Emily backs up and rolls her eyes.

“I hope you’re kidding,” the brunette raises her eyebrows, but Alison just bites her lip. “Dinner’s ready, Ali.”

“I mean…”

“No,” Emily giggles and shakes her head, walking away and trying to pull Alison along even though the blonde stays in place. “I’m going back downstairs, with or without you.”

“Just give me a second,” Alison’s voice is strained, getting Emily to stay put.

The brunette waits, watching her fiancée gingerly pick up the card from the nearby table before holding it close to her body in a form of cradling as she moves over to a shelf above the desk. Emily smiles when she realizes what she’s doing, Alison gesturing for the brunette to come over to her side so she can use the girl’s shoulder for leverage to reach onto the shelf. Quickly, Emily complies, Alison semi-struggling but successfully sliding the card onto the piece of wood, and the two back up.

Together, they admire the array of thank-you cards they’ve exchanged throughout the extent of their relationship, the first of three being the original that Emily received the day she left the clinic, the second existing as the initiator of their actual relationship as the brunette remembers Alison’s shy grin from when they stood next to her mailbox, and the last being the card that was exchanged minutes ago. 

They both smile heavily, Emily feeling the need to wrap Alison in a warm hug due to the overwhelming, random sentiment and the fact that she feels overly cheesy in a way that’s still refreshing, and the blonde feels the same as she bends her arms so she’s pulled close against her fiancée’s chest.

“I love you,” Alison whispers, pulling back to ask for a kiss.

Emily automatically grants her one, two, three, followed by a too-smiley-for-her-own-good “I love you too.”

They’re close to leaning back in, feeling their noses brush with Alison’s grin lessening as her eyes become lidded, and Emily is ready to melt away into a new kiss that’s hopefully not too deep to break apart from. Before it can happen, in a curt interruption, their moment of sensuality is ultimately broken by Hanna’s voice floating up the stairs with a baby-ish “I love you guys, three,” leaving the two to separate and exit the room with a small round of giggles so they can, in the end, join the party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Shoots confetti*
> 
> How satisfying is their little dream house together? I like to believe Alison deserves it, and so does Emily.
> 
> You know what else they deserve? An adorable proposal. Not to give myself too much credit, obviously, but I'm happy with how I twisted it into being a double-proposal, of sorts. I really enjoyed the on-screen idea of Alison giving Emily a family-owned ring, but I also wanted to amplify that. Throughout the fic, I never really mentioned that Emily didn't just give Alison her eggs for free, and there's always a price, so I think it was nice to have that come into play here. Plus, this mutual proposal is somewhat like a head-nod to how their relationship carried itself throughout the story, and how they basically were in each other's thoughts step by step; they were always on the same page, and that definitely happened here, too.
> 
> Additionally, I believe the thank-you cards symbolize a great deal in this story, and I'm happy to have them (quite literally) displayed so we can look back on everything we went through ━ everything they both went through. When I first wrote the outline of this story, I wasn't sure how to make things fall into place, and I thought the card idea was a little iffy because it's something so simple, so far-fetched, really. Then, I realized that, while it is far-fetched, it's also so simple that it could really happen. Maybe not in this scenario where two women have a child together because one's an egg donor, but it fell into place well. The final card given in this chapter really solidifies everything, because not only did the cards, themselves, hold meaning, but the words inside did, which is why Emily remembered a lot of what Alison wrote; she held onto what Alison wrote, for the majority of their time together.
> 
> Now, again, I know we weren't able to delve into too much with their children, but that wasn't exactly my intention ever; I wanted to write a story that conveyed the milestones they'd push through during Alison's pregnancy, not what they'd accomplish once the babies were born. Perhaps in a later story, I'll want to explore that, as there's such a vast landscape of what I could do, but not right now.
> 
> That leads me to what I have to say, lastly: For a while now, I've been asked time and time again what fic I'll be writing next, if I'll be writing more fic, etc. To those people, I kept saying I'm unsure; I have no idea what the future holds, and I still stand by that. Recently, I've realized that I think it's time to step back, at least for a little, and I do apologize to those who wish me to stick around and slap down a few more stories ━ to those people, I also say thank you for the support you've given me. It won't be forever, and I can promise that; I still have a lot more to write, and a ton more imagination to share with you. I won't lie and say I haven't been struggling, though, especially lately. Months ago, I hit a rough patch, and I'm sure it was evident in some of my chapters, and most of my author's notes; I'd lack "spice," or individuality, and I'd just repeat things. I've lost something over the course of the past however-many stories I've written ━ over the course of the past 800K+ words I've written ━ whether or not people agree (which, again, thank you for keeping my spirits lifted), and I just feel dried up. That shouldn't happen. That shouldn't be happening when I know I still have so much to portray. So, I need to find what I lost and where/when, exactly, I lost it, and figure out how to build myself back up so I'm once again confident ━ or even more confident. Once that happens, I'll be back. If, in the meantime, I feel that posting for y'all will help me regain a sense of identity when it comes to writing (for Emison or another pairing, who knows), you'll see my name pop up again, I swear.
> 
> For now, thank you so much. Over the course of my multi-chapter fics, I've gained a lot of friends, more respect for fandoms (let's be real, a lot of people can be ruthless and it's unappealing), and a huge confidence booster despite any bumps in the road. Those are things that stay with you.
> 
> No matter what, I'll always be on Tumblr ("capn-charlie") where you can find me meaninglessly reblogging things, or just puttering along with everyone else, and I'll always respond to kind/questionative messages on there. Always.
> 
> Lots of love.
> 
> *Insert fancy signature here*


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